Leaving Berk
by T.rex98
Summary: Hicca finally decides to runaway from Berk, and ends up in Heaven's Peak, home of the Sky Fliers. Now, she goes on all new adventures where she'll meet new friends, new foes, new discoveries, new creatures, and makes a shocking revelation that will change everything Vikings know about Dragons.
1. Leaving it all behind

The afternoon sun bared down on me as I lied in my tiny excuse for a boat in the middle of the water. I've been out here for Thor knows how long and away from Berk for even longer. I had finally had enough of all the shunning, neglect, bullying, and abuse for just being a runt. My father barely noticed me, the adults ignore and/or look down at me, and those my age bullied me. The only person who showed me any kindness was Gobber, the blacksmith, and the closest thing I had to an actual father. But, even his kindness wasn't enough to keep in Berk, not after what Astrid said. I looked up to Astrid as if she were my sister, I was willing to help her out in any way I could, but she barely noticed me and when she finally did, she told me I don't belong in Berk in the most rage-filled and insulting voice I've ever heard.

So, that night, I boarded Trade Johann's ship without him noticing and got off when he docked at some village near the edge of the archipelago, did some work, bought numerous supplies, loaded them onto a small boat and rode off to beyond the archipelago, where no one could possible find me and bring me back to Berk, where I'll go through it all over, again. Problem was that I had nowhere to go. I'm just drifting aimlessly through the world, ignorant to what could be out here. Really wish I thought this through a bit more. A loud thundering sound startled me. Sitting up, I look to see a large storm heading towards at a steady speed. I could do nothing as the storm slammed into my boat with the force of a Monstrous Nightmare. I gripped the railing to try and stay standing as the boat was whipped about by strong winds and high waves. When things to calm down, a bit, I sigh. Then, I saw a massive wave heading towards me. Before I could react, I was flung into the water and barely keeping my head above the surface. I spent the next few minutes trying not to drown, but the constant waves and my lack of strength made that very difficult.

Eventually, my body gave out and I slipped under. In minutes, everything went black.

* * *

When I eventually came to, I felt cold, sore, and wet. I also noticed I wasn't in the water, but on dry land. With some effort, I manage to sit up and saw I was on a beach, my legs still partially in the tides as they came and go. I pull my legs in and try to stand. At first, I could barely stand, but I managed to muster the strength to do so. I turn and saw a dense and very mysterious forest not far ahead. I glance out at the open sea and saw nothing in sight, no other islands or passing , taking my chances, I head into the forest. Alone and without a weapon. I moved slowly, as my legs were still sore and couldn't move all that fast.

The forest, itself, was quite unusual. The trees were taller and the roots were easily seeable and in a tangled mess. Strange rope-like things grew all over them and most of the branches were close to the top, blocking out the sunlight. Some of the trees bent in peculiar ways and some even grew on top of rocks. They were wide apart from each other, but this forest was still quite dense. There were several animal noises echoing through, but none I've ever heard before. I ignored them as best as I could and just kept walking, the soreness slowly fading as time went on. I had climb down a few ledges every so often, and climb over a few large roots. I don't know how long I was walking, but when I finally saw the sun, it was starting to set. I didn't want to be caught by any night time predators, so I started to walk faster and searched for shelter. Suddenly, I hear what sounded like a primal growl, causing me to stop in my tracks. I looked up to see a sight that made my heart stop. It was some sort of cat, but looked big enough to take on Stoick, with sand colored fur and what really worried me were its two really long canines that went past its chin, but the right tooth was broken in half.

The beast growled at me as it looked down from the ledge it was perched on, making it appear even more frightening. I could see the hunger in its eyes. I was absolutely terrified and I did thing only thing that came to mind. I turned, screamed, and ran for my life. The beast leapt from the ledge and gave chase, keeping up even as the forest kept throwing numerous obstacles in its path. I just kept running, trying not to trip over something and end that thing's dinner. Eventually, my feet were going faster than my eyes and I, eventually, did trip and tumbled down a ledge and fall flat onto my face in a small clearing. I get up and turn to see the beast coming into view. I turn onto my bottom and began scooting backwards to get away. I only seemed to be amusing the beast, as it slowly approached me, believing I won't be able to get away. I stop and looked at the beast's drooling maw, utterly terrified that I'm about to die in this forest. The beast lunged, ready to finish me off, but it was suddenly knocked by by some unknown object, making it skid about several feet away from me. I feel a presence behind and I turn to see a boy.

He looked to be about my age and was just as skinny with light skin and blue eyes. He had short, shaggy blonde hair. He wore a green, long-sleeved shirt under a brown leather vest, black, somewhat baggy pants, and a pair of brown, knee-length, leather boots. Draped over his left shoulder was a red cape that went to his waist and covered the top of his shoulder. Leather bracers adorned his arms. On the right side of his waist was a red cloth that went below his knees and was attached to a belt at his waist. On the left side of his waist was a fairly large satchel. In his hand was a large boomerang, about half his size. It was predominantly made of a strange green colored crystal with a silver-colored metal outlining it. The center was also made of a silver metal with a smooth green crystal in the center. There was a handle on one end of the boomerang.

The beast glared at the boy, who remained neutral as the two stared each other down. The beast roared and charged. The boy rushed forward, but instead of charging the beast, he slid onto his back and when the beast was above him, pushed it into the air and onto its back with a thud. The boy got into a crouching position, ready to move at any moment. The beast got back up and lunged forward, but the boy dodged. The beast quickly reacted and lunged again, managing to pin the boy to the ground. He was using one of his arms to keep the beasts jaw away from him and doing pretty well despite appearing to have no muscle mass. The boy kicked the beast in the stomach, knocking the breath out of it and allowing him to push the beast off of him. The beast charged again, but the boy grabbed his boomerang and gave him a great smack across the face. The beast recovered and it must've thought this wasn't worth the effort as he ran off. The boy kept his gaze on where the ebast disappeared until he was sure it was gone. He put his boomerang into a reverse grip and slide it into a sheath on his lower back. He then turned to me and held out his hand. With some hesitance, I grabbed it and he helped me onto my feet.

"You alright?" he asked.

"I think so" I replied, quietly.

"Good. When I heard you scream, I knew old Halftooth was attacking another innocent bystander, again. He just never learns" he said. I was now confused.

"Halftooth?" I asked.

"That beast that just attacked you. He has a tendency to go after any prey he can overpower. And I'm usually there to keep him from eating any Humans. I'm Justin, by the way" he said with a warm and comforting smile.

"I'm Hicca" I said, still quiet. With how often I got bullied or shunned, I had pretty developed a small fear of interacting with people and tend to be rathre reserved when I do talk to others. This boy may seem nice, but I can't be for sure.

"So, Hicca, what's a Viking doing this far from the Barbaric Archipelago?" Justin asked, catching my off guard. He must've noticed my expression.

"Oh, I traveled around quite a bit. I never stayed for more than a week in Viking territory. They're way too stubborn and backwards for my liking" he said, crossing his arms. I felt conflicted. He seems nice enough, but it seems he has a low opinion of Vikings. Can't blame him. We aren't exactly the most open-minded of people. Finally, I decided I might as well tell him.

"I ran away from my village. I don't know if you noticed, but I'm quiet small compared to most Vikings, and quite weak" I said.

"And Vikings value strength. You must've been mistreated quite a bit" Justin said. I sighed.

"Yeah, everyone either ignored me or bullied me. The only person who showed any kindness was Gobber, the village blacksmith. But, I eventually had enough. So, I snuck aboard a ship and got off at the first island we came to, which was near the edge of the Archipelago. I did some work, bought some supplies, grabbed a boat, and rode off to beyond the Archipelago" I explained.

"So, guess the storm, last night, caused you to sink and wash up on this island, I take it" Justin said. I nodded in confirmation.

"So, what are going to do, now, Hicca?" he asked me. I just clam up, because I honestly don't know. The boat I had is at the bottom of the ocean, by now, I have no idea where I am, and I am completely unarmed. The gods must hate me or something, because nothing seems to be going my way, at all. Justin must've understood what my silence meant, judging from the look on his face. He also seemed to be thinking about something, but I couldn't tell what it is. Finally, he spoke.

"I know this may sound sudden, but you can live in my home: Heaven's Peak" he said, catching me completely off guard. I looked at him as if he grew a second head.

"Are you sure? Will your people even accept me?" I asked, warily. Justin just smiles at me.

"They will. We take in runaways and refugees, all the time. You'll be welcome" he said. I stare into his eyes, searching for any form of deception. There wasn't any. He was being completely honest.

"Okay…" I said. Justin just nods and lets out a loud whistle, making me cover my ears. A few minutes later, I hear a screech and, in the sky, I see some odd creature. It looked to be the big enough to carry Stoick on its back. Its head was like that of a bird of prey, was completely white and long tufts of feathers on either side of its head with blue eyes. It also sharp talons with its front legs being covered in thick fur and had a pair of feathered wings. The rest of its body appeared to be like a type of cat, with brown fur, and had a tail with a fan of feathers on the tip. Straps to its back was a simple, leather saddle. The creature landed next to Justin, who started petting it. I was beyond flabbergasted. What was this thing?

"Hicca, this is Silverbolt, my griffin mount" Justin said. Silverbolt stared at me with curiosity in his eyes.

"What's a griffin?" I asked.

"A griffin is a creature that is renowned for its nobility and undying loyalty to its friends. You see, I'm part of a group known as the Sky Fliers, a guild of griffin riders that defend this island from threats" Justin said.

"So, Heaven's Peak isn't the only place on this island?" I asked.

"No, there are a number of villages scattered about, full of runaways, explorers, refugees, and those who wish to leave their old lives behind. Now, come on" he replied, mounting Silverbolt, fitting snugly into the saddle. He held his hand, and I looked at him for a moment, scared for my life. I slowly take his hand and he hoisted me up onto Silverbolt, where I sat behind him. I wrap my arms around his waist and, seconds later, we're up in the air, flying at a great speed.

"So, what's the name of your village and who is your chief, Hicca?" he asked me, glancing at me.

"I'm from Berk and, you won't believe this, but my father, Stoick the Vast, is the chief" I replied.

"Stoick the Vast? Guess he has one heck of a waistline" Justin said, actually making me giggle.

"Yes. We were originally going call him 'Stoick the Vindictive', but for some reason went with Vast, instead" I said, feeling more relaxed.

"Guess it was catchier" he said.

"So, what about you? Where are you from?" I asked.

"I was born in a remote town in a place called Austria. My mom and dad made sure that I grew up to be a just and compassionate eventually came to this island, and my family followed. I stop by to see them every so often" Justin replied. He then looks ahead and smiles.

"Ah, Heaven's Peak is just ahead" he said. I look over his shoulder and I see Heaven's Peak.

It was actually built on the top of large flat plateau-like mountain and it took up the entire top. The whole place was, essentially, a walled city with numerous great stone buildings several stories high and with varying shapes. In the center was a large arena of sorts, built into the ground. Not far was a very large two story building. Around that building was a courtyard of sorts. There were many wide-open spaces about the city, as well.

"That's Heaven's Peak?!" I exclaimed, totally mesmerized by the sheer size of it. Just how rich are these guys?

"Quite a sight, isn't it? We found this old fort and decided to make use of it, adding onto it and repairing it as time went on" Justin said as we approached Heaven's Peak. We landed in the central courtyard. Justin slid off first and, like a gentlemen, helped me off of Silverbolt. I look around. This place definitely felt like a village, as the roads were paved with stone and were positioned similarly to a village's layout. There were other Sky Fliers about, all doing their own business. I quickly notice they were all around my age or slightly older/younger than me.

"There are quite a lot of Sky Fliers, huh?" I asked.

"Yes, there are. At my last count, there was a total of three hundred and sixty-five of us. And that was last year, too" Justin said. I looked at him.

"And you just happen to know exact number of your group why?" I asked, a little perplexed as to why he knows that. He simply shrugs.

"I like to calculate things in my free time. Some might even call it more of a habit than a hobby" Justin said. A crash was heard and another griffin, this one pure brown unlike Silverbolt, bursts into view and looks directly at Justin, who tenses up and has "oh, no" look on his face. Before I could ask, the griffin lunges at Justin, pins him to the ground, and starts licking like there's no tomorrow. Justin struggled to get the griffin to stop, but to no avail, and I just giggled. It amazes that he can take on a massive cat, yet has trouble pushing off a slightly smaller griffin that isn't trying to maim him.

"Khanya!" a feminine voice called out. I turn and see a girl running up to us.

She looked to be about two years younger than me, and was also just as slim, but appeared to have semblance of muscles on her. The weirdest thing was her skin. It was a dark brown color. She also black curly hair that came down to the top of her shoulder blades and light brown eyes. She wore a brown leather tunic-like dress that reached to below her knees, yet had no sleeves and a single shoulder strap on the right shoulder, leaving the other bare with a shoulder cape similar to Justin's over her left shoulder. Her right arm was completely covered in wrapings while left arm was completely bare. She wore knee-high leather, boot-like spats by her feet were completely bare.

The girl rushed up the griffin, who immediately nervous. She put her hands on her hips.

"What did I tell you about pouncing on Master Justin? You know you're not supposed to do that!" she said in a scolding tone.

"Please stop calling me 'Master'. Justin is just fine" Justin said, exasperated, as he got up.

"I can't do that, Master Justin" she said. He sighed, obviously he's been through this before. I just kept watching, as this isn't my problem.

"We've been over this!" he exclaimed, throwing his hands wide out. The girl just stood there, her face neutral, which made Justin sigh, again. Then, he remembered me.

"Oh, Hicca, meet my good friend and surrogate little sister, Zippy" he said. Zippy remained quiet and simply gave me a nod.

"It is a pleasure to meet, Mistress Hicca" she said, making me look at her confused. I barely notice Justin facepalming. Guess this happens more than he likes.

"The griffin who licked me beyond all reason is Zippy's mount, Khanya. She is extremely friendly. Thankfully, my clothes are water-proof" he said. Khanya looks at me with a wided expression and I'm pretty she's going to do to me what she did to Justin. Thankfully, she didn't due to getting a scolding look from Zippy.

"So, I take you will go to meet Master Daemon, now?" Zippy asked.

"Yes, we are, Zippy. Don't worry though, I haven't forgotten that promise I made to you, this morning" Justin replied, not even acknowledging the "Master" part, this time. Zippy looked rather excited before running off, Khanya close behind her. I look at Justin was a curious expression. What did he promise her. He noticed my expression.

"Oh, I promised Zippy I'd teach her a few hand-to-hand combat moves when I got back from my daily search for herb and other unique plants. I'm more than happy to help her grow as a person. She's really sweet, if a bit submissive. Come on, time for you to meet Daemon" he said, as he lead us through the streets before we came up to the largest building in the whole city.

"Oh, by the way. That large building there, that's the mess hall. It's open 24/7 to serve good meals to the Sky Fliers by expert chefs. So, no matter the time, if you feel hungry, you can go here. The building behind it is Daemon's office and personal living quarters" Justin said. I nodded in acknowledgement.

"Is Daemon your leader?" I asked.

"Not officially, but he was the one who has kept us all together when we first came to this island over fives years ago, and we all tree him with our lives" Justin said, which really got my attention as I stared at him, wide eyed.

"You didn't build this place?" I asked.

"No. As I said, everyone on this island is a runaway of some sort. The Sky Fliers are simply a group of young kids, orphans, and misfits who got tired of the direction society was heading in. Daemon inspired us to leave everything behind and, when it came time to leave our homes, he lead us to this island. We've lived here in peace, ever since, welcoming other refugees, runaways, and exiles of all kinds by placing them in large villages all over so they can live their own lives. And let me tell you, there have been _a lot_ of them coming. Some of our families followed us, as well" Justin explained. By the time he finished we were in front of Daemon's office. He knocked on the door.

"Yes, who is it?" a voice asked from behind the door. Likely Daemon.

"It's Justin. I've found another runaway, who had a nasty run-in with Halftooth" Justin said.

"Again? That's the third time this week!" Daemon exclaimed in mild annoyance. I'm confused, now.

"Is he talking about runaways or Halftooth?" I asked Justin.

"Both" he said, simply. Yeesh, Halftooth must really like eating people.

"Well, come in. I'd like to meet our newest guest" Daemon said. Justin opened the door and we walked in.

The office, itself, was quite spacious. The floor was covered in a nice red carpet, the walls had a nice brown coating. The left wall was covered up by one large bookshelf filled with rows of books of different sizes. Several paintings were mounted on the other walls. Near the back was a large desk with a table next to it forming an L shape. The desk had a round map of sorts on it, along with multiple papers while the table had a massive map on it. There was a suit of strange armor on a mount next to the desk and there was a couple of soft chairs around a small table near the right wall. A chandelier lit up the room.

As we got closer to the desk, I can see a boy coming into view from a flight off stairs on the right of the room.

He actually seems to be older than us, a more athletic build and fair skin. He had slicked back black hair and equally black eye. He wore a black shirt, equally black pants, brown leather boots, a grey vest and bracers and the same shoulder cape, but it was on his right shoulder instead of the left one, and his was black.

As we stopped in front of the desk, he sat down in a black chair and gazed at me with a lot of intensity, that I began to feel uncomfortable. Justin didn't seem all that concerned, so guess he wasn't going to do anything bad to me. Hopefully.

"Daemon, this is Hicca, a Viking from a village called Berk in nearby Barbaric Archipelago. She is, as you can see, quite small and frail for a Viking and was considered an outcast for it. She eventually decided to leave and washed up on our shore this morning, I believe" Justin explained as Daemon kept his gaze on me.

"We don't get a lot of Viking runaways. The few we do get tend to cause a lot of problems. Justin, you know her better. Do you think she'll be a problem?" he asked Justin. I was now a little nervous. What if they decided they don't want me here? I don't know what they'll do to me.

"No, she won't. She seems to be of an intellectual than a brute, unlike most Vikings we've met. I'm sure she'll adjust well here" Justin replied, without hesitation. I relax, slightly. Daemon nods and makes a small hum, but doesn't say anything.

"Then, I suppose that I can let you stay here. Just so you know, Justin. If she causes any problems, you'll be held responsible" Daemon said, but the glint in his eyes makes me think he didn't really mean that.

"I wouldn't have it any other way" Justin said, the same glint in his eyes, as well.

"Well, why don't you have her bunk with Regina, for now. She can always use a roommate. Why don't you give here a tour in the meantime?" Daemon asked. Justin nodded and we left the office without another word.

"Welp, might as well show you around. I'll show you where you'll be staying, first" Justin said. He lead down a path..

"There are a large number of houses around and each one can hold up to four people. We try to give each members their own room, but sometimes, people have to bunk. So, we try to room together the people are least likely to try and kill each other" Justin said as we entered one of the many hallways. I give a blank stare.

"You say that so casually" I said, somewhat sarcastically.

"Hey, different people have different personalities and interests, Hicca. Sometimes, these two things can clash and it can get real ugly depending on the personalities and interests in question" Justin said, slightly defensively.

"Do you share a room with anyone?" I asked, changing the subject was we came up to one of the houses.

"No. I made it exceedingly clear that I do not share a room, period" Justin replied.

"Huh, you seem like a pretty social guy" I said.

"We all have our flaws, Hicca. One of mine is that I don't like sharing a room" Justin said. We entered the house.

The main room was spacious with a wooden floor and several large orbs of light lighting up the room quite nicely. The left half of the room had all of these amazing gadgets scattered about, a huge amount of different types of tools-ones I'm familiar with and ones I'm not-with schematics hung on the wall or rolled in holdings as well as a massive number of blue orbs being kept in a strange box, a large table littered with parts and other things. There were several doors.

"This is the room you'll be sharing with Regina. As you can see, she's a rather crazy but very brilliant inventor, who is quite friendly and… quite particular with girls" Justin said, pausing at that last remark. I look at him confused. He just ignores it.

"Anyway, we better get on with the rest of the tour. It'll be dark soon and I'm sure you'd want to get a good night's rest" he said and we left the house. He continued showing me around. Turns out most of these buildings were houses, but some had additions, such as forges, which are used to craft and repair weapons. He elads back to Regina's house and turns to me.

"By the way, my home is South of here, not far down the road. So, if you have problems or questions, feel free to ask. Good night, Hicca" he said before leaving. I couldn't help but smile. He sure was one friendly guy. I Enter my, new, house, where I see my new roommate, Regina, was already in the room, tinkering away.

She was my age with a muscular build and fair skin tanned by being in the sun for long periods of time. I can't see her eyes, but she had red hair styled into a really messy bun. Her clothing is somewhat revealing, wearing only a black top that covered only her rather small chest, the same shoulder cape on her left shoulder, black fingerless gloves reaching to her shoulders, dark brown suspenders attached to a tool belt filled with a multitude of tools, white baggy pants and brown boots

She continued to tinker away, completely oblivious to my presence. I decide to get her attention by coughing really loudly. It works and she looks from her work and turns to me. She was wearing a pair of strange goggles over eyes. She removes them, revealing a pair of stunning emerald eyes with her eyes also having a distinct diamond-esque shape. Her eyes light up upon seeing me.

"Ah, you must be my new roomie. It is great to meet you. I'm Regina, what's your name" she asked in a very unusual and, surprising, refined-sounding accent that doesn't seem to fit her. She walks up to me and holds out a hand. I grasp it.

"I'm Hicca. I'm glad to-" was all I managed to say before she started shaking me like there's no tomorrow.

"Pleasure to make your acquaintance, Hicca! When Daemon told me I'd be getting a new roommate, I was both nervous and excited, as I didn't know who you were. I was even more worried when he mentioned you were a Viking, who are a very stubborn people. I thought you would be some hulking brute with no brains, whatsoever. But, finally meeting you has erased all those doubts" Regina said, all the while shaking me. She eventually stopped and I quickly manage to recover to find see her giving a really odd expression, but it also looks awfully familiar. It looks like the kind of look a person would give to a girl he-oh, no! My eyes widen in shock, as to what Justin meant by her being particular about girls. Before I could react, Regina wraps an arm around my waist and pulls me close, much to my embarrassment.

"Also, you look quite beautiful. It's even better to know you haven't fully bloomed, yet. I bet you'll be next to irresistible when you reach adulthood, Hicca" she said in a low, sultry voice, sending shivers down my spine. Oh, this is wrong on so many levels. Regina is mere inches from me and hse this big seductive smirk on her face, making my turn as red as a Nightmare's scales.

"I-I'm really not comfortable with this!" I squealed out as her increased her grip on my waist and stroke my chin with her free hand.

"Oh, no need to be so shy, Hicca. You can trust me and I'll show you a good time" Regina said, her voice somehow getting even more seductive than before. She slowly leans and my eyes widen in horror at what she's about to do. When her lips are mere centimeters from mine, she pulls back and bursts out laughing like a loon, letting me go in order to clutch her sides. I stared at the, possibly insane, girl.

"Oh, you should've seen the look on your face! It was priceless! You actually thought I was going to kiss you!" she laughed even harder while I glare at her, crossing my eyes. She eventually calms down and wipes a tear from her eye.

"But, all the same, sorry for teasing you like that. I just couldn't resist messing with you. Don't worry though, even though I'm a Lesbian, I won't force myself on you like that" she said.

"What's a Lesbian?" I asked.

"It means I'm romantically attracted to girls instead of boys. Most people like me tend to really shunned and considered unholy in some cases. That's one reason why I enjoy living on this island. I'm free to be myself and praised for it" Regina said. I stare at her, slightly confused by her strange behavior. One moment, she's ready to seduce me, next she's completely jovial and not-at-all odd. This girl's weird. I also will have a few words with Justin, tomorrow, as he knew about this and didn't bother to warn me.

"Justin didn't tell you I'm a Lesbian, huh?" Regina asked. She must've read my expression.

"Yeah. All he said was that you were particular with girls. I can't believe he didn't warn me" I said.

"Better get used to it, luv. Justin loves to mess with people, but avoids jokes that he thinks may hurt or offend someone. He's like a brother, in that regard" Regina said. Before I could say anything, I let out a loud yawn, and sleepiness started to come over me.

"You better get some rest, Hicca. You can have the room on the right" Regina said, pointing to the top bunk. I nod and and walk towards the room. The room, itself, was rather plain, but had a very inviting bed. Before I enter, I turn to Regina.

"What about you?" I asked as I climbed up a nearby ladder to the top bunk.

"I'll be staying up for another hour or so before I hit the sack. Good night, Hicca" she said as I climbed under the, amazingly, comfortable and soft bed. I mutter a good night and fall asleep the minute my head hit the pillow.

* * *

 **And done.**

 **A/N: Yes, I'm introducing LGBT characters in this story. I'm starting to branch out as I was being somewhat hypocritical. I claim I support LGBTQ and same-sex couples, and don't reading about them, but I forbade myself from including them all because I was uncomfortable with it. How stupid of me!**

 **Also, I don't have any idea if I'll be giving Hicca a love interest, at this moment. Just think of Regina as an overly affectionate Yandere-esque character that knows to keep herself in check… most of the time.**

 **In the meantime, let me know what you think and send your own suggestions for future chapters. I'd appreciate the help.**


	2. History and Training

The morning sun enters through the window, shining onto my face. With a light groan, I open my and eyes and realize I'm not in my room. Before I panic, though, yesterday's events came flooding back. I sigh, sit, and let out a loud yawn while stretching my arms over my head. Thor, I've never slept on some so comfortable in my life. I leave my room and glance over at Regina's workstation and sit she was slumped in her chair, out cold. I didn't mind, as she couldn't do another advance on me like yesterday. She is nice and friendly, but that fact she likes girls kind of puts me off, as I never heard of such a thing in my life. With another sigh, I leave the house Maybe he can explain a few things to me. It takes me a while, as this pathway is quite long. I eventually reach Justin's house and enter.

It was rather spacious. However, it had several large tables with a large of different sized vials filled with strangely colored liquids, as well as strangely shaped interconnected containers. There was a large pedestal with a large stone above it and a lever on the left side with a large furnace not far. On the right side was a large shelf filled with vials filled with different kinds of plants and other things. In the center was a large cauldron of some sort. There was also a shelf filled with various books. Justin's bed seemed to be on some sort of second floor alcove.

Speaking of Justin, he was at far right table, seemingly busy with something. As I got closer, though, he glanced at me.

"Good morning, Hicca. Slept well?" he asked.

"Yes, the bed was the comfiest thing I've ever slept on. What are you doing?" I asked, curious.

"Experimenting with some different alchemical ingredients" he replied, as he poured something into a large container.

"Not to sound ignorant, or anything, but what IS Alchemy, anyway? I've never heard of anything like it" I said.

"You've heard of Magic?" he asked. I nodded. Everyone on Berk has heard of Magic, though no one believes it exists.

"Think of Alchemy being like magic, but instead of performing spells and stuff like that, you use unique substances and plants to create magic-like effects. Essentially, it's artificial magic" he explained. I nodded in understanding. Now, I want to learn more about it, but at a different time.

"So, how are you liking Regina, so far?" he asked, a moment later.

"She's nice, except she tried to flirt with me and you didn't warn me she was weird" I said with a sour look on my face. Justin fully faces me.

"I'm sure she told you I mess with people, and that she's called a Lesbian, not weird. I'm not sure if this kind of thing is okay in Berk, but it's considered natural and accepted here in Heaven's Peak and in the other villages. Besides, she knows not to flirt with every girl she meets" Justin said.

"You still could've given me a more clear warning about this, though" I said in exasperation.

"I know" he said simply, a cheeky smile on his face. He's like an annoying brother who likes to joke around with his sister, which is me, apparently. I shake my head and decide to just move on.

"You said you found this fort. Do you know how built it?" I asked.

"Not really. The villages around the island are the same as the fort. They were abandoned and were starting to fall apart. We managed to repair the damage and put them to good use" Justin said.

"You didn't find anything that led to some clues as to who built this place, at all?" I asked, perplexed.

"Not at all. Whoever built this place was really secretive or just didn't bother taking credit for their work. We don't mind, though, but we still look into this. Progress is slow going, though" Justin said. I heard shuffling and look to see Zippy standing next to the door. Justin noticed her, too.

"Is something wrong, Zippy?" he asked, a somewhat concerned looks on his face.

"No, Master Justin. I'm just reporting for duty. That's all" she said, making me confused. The last time I checked, there were no ranks or a military structure in the Sky Fliers, and Justin wasn't the kind of guy to make everyone report to him for an assignment. Justin sighed in exasperation and a hint of worry, which showed on his face.

"Zippy, I keep telling you, you don't have to report to me every day. You're free to make your own choices, not follow other people's commands. Those days are behind you" he said, walking up to the younger girl. I stayed quiet, mostly because I don't know what's going on.

"Master Justin, you don't understand. I _have_ to follow orders! It's what I was told by my mother" she said, and I actually a look of fear in her eyes that made me start worrying about her. Especially her mental state.

"Zippy, listen to me. You _don't_ have to follow anyone's orders if you don't have to, anymore. You're no longer just a number, you're a person. Your mother had lost her spirit, but you haven't. You can still be your own person, but you need to resolve to be your master. You understand?" Justin asked, a warm and comforting smile on his face. Zippy looked uncertain and very conflicted. Just what happened to her to make feel like she has to let others choose for her?

"I… yes, Master Justin, I do" she said after a moment, but it looked like she didn't believe it.

"Good. Now, what don't you head down and get you something to eat" Justin said. Zippy nodded and left the room, without another word. Justin sighed, his shouldered slumped.

"That girl… she really needs to learn how to make her own decisions" he said.

"Why is she like that, anyway?" I asked, my curiosity finally getting the better of me. Justin turned to me, dead serious.

"Sit down, Hicca. I have a story to tell you" he said. I complied and sat in one of the chairs.

"Now, the reason why Zippy the way she is is because she's a former slave" he said, shocking me to my very core. I was taught to despise slavery and I took those lessons to heart. Now, that I think about it, Zippy's submissive behavior and habit calling everyone "Master/Mistress" makes a lot of sense. Those would be traits a slave would have.

"It was about two years ago when I first met Zippy…" he started to explain.

* * *

(FLASHBACK. THIRD P.O.V)

" _I was out traveling an unmapped region out of curiosity and too find new alchemy ingredients. Me and Silverbolt landed on a rather large, remote island, to rest for the night"_

It was late at night. Justin was leaning against Silverbolt as a small campfire illuminated them. Justin was busy weaving a fishing basket, content at the moment. Silverbolt was fast asleep. He had been flying for three days straight and had earned a well-deserved and much needed rest. Justin smiled at his companion and petted his head before going back to weaving. However, a small rustle was heard and Silverbolt woke right up while Justin stopped and discreetly looked around.

" _However, it soon became apparent that we weren't alone. If there's one thing my dad taught, it's to never let your guard down in unknown territory. I followed his advice and kept my eyes peeled. Nothing happened, so I eventually feel asleep. That's when something decided to make a move"_

An hour later, Justin and Silverbolt were asleep. Neither of them were aware of the figure that slowly approached them. They moved closer and closer with great caution, as to not wake them up. As soon as they got close enough, they grabbed Justin's satchel and took off. This alert Silverbolt, who screeched loudly, waking Justin up. He spotted the figure and, in seconds, mounted Silverbolt and took off in the air. Justin's eyes scanned the forest below, searching for any sign of movement. He spotted the figure through the trees and Silverbolt started to dive towards them. The figure weaved through the trees with great speed, but spotted Justin and Silver approaching. They eventually caught up to the figure and was about to grab them when Silverbolt slammed into a tree, causing Justin to be sent flying before landing on the ground, rolling a couple of times, before stopping. Groaning, he stood up and heard more rustling from the bush in front of him and slowly approached the bush and grabbed it.

" _After a long chase, I managed to corner whatever stole my satchel behind a bush, but nothing could've warned about what I discovered"_

Justin pulled back the bush and gasped at what he saw. It was a little girl, possibly two years younger than him. She had dark skin covered in dirt and telltale whip marks, her hair was oily and in a jumbled mess, and she wasn't wearing anything, not even underwear. She was curled up into a tight ball and looking up at Justin with her fear-ridden light brown eyes. If he had any anger at her, it vanished almost immediately at seeing the terrified little girl.

" _It wasn't some starving animal as I had originally thought. It was a little girl, naked and alone. She also seemed to be utterly terrified of me, for some reason. But, I didn't let that worry me. Her safety was more important"_

Feeling his empathy peaked, he slowly approached the girl, but she started shivering even more. She glanced at the satchel and, in one swift moment, threw it at his feet and got on her hands and knees. It broke his heart to see this. It was obvious the girl was expecting a form of punishment, and she quietly accepted it. Who could've been cruel enough to do this to her?

"I'm not going to punish you, or hurt you in anyway. I just want to help you" Justin said, kneeling before her. The girl looked up at him with wide eyes, but filled with shock instead of fear. He spent the next ten minutes trying to coax the girl back to his campfire, as she looked very cold, but she refused to even move, constantly staring at him with those wide eyes filled so much pain. Eventually, he was able to get her back to the campfire and also got her to put on a spare tunic he had, which was the only clothing that seemed to fit her, somewhat. The girl sat across Justin, her head resting on her knees as she stared at the fire, forlornly. Silverbolt laid behind Justin, back asleep. Justin, himself, was busy warming a loaf of bread to eat. He kept his eyes off the girl, so he wouldn't spook her by accident. Once he felt that the bread was warm enough, he offered the whole loaf to her. The girl just stared at the bread, shocked and scared about this gesture.

"Go on, take it. You must be hungry" he said, comfortingly. While he limited his gaze on the girl's once naked body, due to chivalry, he managed to see just how thing she was. He could easily see her ribs and must've been underweight. After a minute of staring, the girl hesitantly takes the bread and nibbles on her. As soon as those first small bits hit her taste buds, her hunger came in, full force. She ate the whole loaf in seconds, which didn't surprise Justin, one bit.

"So, what's such a young girl doing on an uninhabited island, all by herself and with no clothes on?" he asked, feeling he's delayed the question long enough. The girl tensed up and looked down at her feet, seemingly lost in thought. It was five minutes, but she eventually spoke.

"Because I run from bad people. Bad people work me all life, punish me if I no do it, even though they knew not what to do. Mother always told me to obey and they don't hurt me, but they still hurt me. So, while they take me someplace with lots of other people, I got out of the metal ropes and jumped off the wooden prison and into the unsolid stuff. I came here. I've tried to to survive, but it hard" she said said, in a tiny voice as she hugged herself tighter as tears started coming out of her eyes. It clicked for Justin. Her rather simplistic and unrefined speech, her emaciated body, her fear, and her skin color. Of course she was an escaped slave. Deep down, he was hoping his was wrong.

"A slave… but, how can you talk? Most slaves around here aren't taught how to speak unless they capture them as adults" Justin said.

"I listened to bad people. They shout, scream, hurt, order us. I listened and learned. Kept quiet to avoid punishment " the girl replied. Justin was actually impressed. This girl was quite smart to be able to learn some manner of speech by just listening to other people talking without a teacher.

"Do you have a name?" he asked.

"What name?" she asked, tilting her head, which made her look pretty adorable.

"It's what people call you. Most are given a name at birth. They didn't give you one?" Justin asked, even more saddened. Just how uncaring were these people that they wouldn't even give their slaves names?

"They call me "slave" or "bad girl" when they order or hurt me" she said.

"Those aren't names" Justin said, thinking. He suspected she didn't have a name. So, he'll give her a name, but what to name her? He wanted it to be something unique, so that she would stand out and not be the mindless drone people tried to turn her into. But, she doesn't know much about her. All he knows is that she's a slave, severely afraid of everyone and very uneducated, but is quite fast, zipping through the forest with surprising agility. Suddenly, it hit him. He knew what to name her.

"I think I'll name you Zippy, because of your amazing agility. It's not a conventional name, but it fits you" he said with a smile.

"Zip...py...? Sounds…. Nice! I like it" the newly named Zippy said with the first smile Justin has seen grace her lips. He felt proud that he got her to actually smile since meeting her. Now, he's hoping to make her smile her more.

" _This girl was so weak, so fragile. I just couldn't bear to just leave her out there, all alone. So, I decided that she needed to come to Heaven's Peak, where she'll finally feel love and compassion, at long last"_

"Alright, Zippy, it is. Now that you have a name, I'll also give you a home" he said, standing up and holding out his hand for her. Zippy stares at his hand before taking it. Justin smiled at the little girl, happy to have made a difference in someone's life.

* * *

(END FLASHBACK. HICCA'S P.O.V)

"So, I brought her to Heaven's Peak and began to educate her and teach how to be her own master. Though, undoing the mental conditioning the slavers did on her is slow going, seeing as she had an easier talking and learning new things she knew about before, and just seeing her eyes lose their pain and become brighter, and to see her smile made me not regret my decision to help her that day" he finished, a big proud smile on his lips. I stared at him as he spoke and was thoroughly amazed. Zippy was through so much pain and misery, yet Justin is willing to do everything in his power to help. This guy is truly amazing.

"That's an incredible story, Justin" I said. Now, it made his rescue of me sound even more amazing. It seems this isn't a one-time deal for him. He actually goes out of his way to help others because he can! And he actually enjoys it. He not appear to be physically strong, but he makes up for it with an enormous heart. Maybe I should start learning how to defend myself to help others, as well.

"It is. Zippy eventually became assertive enough to decide to become a Sky Flier as gratitude for helping her. She's still got some learning to do before she can function on her own, though" Justin said.

"Yeah, I know an eccentric trader who also calls people "Master", as well, but he does it as a form of respect, not as a means of that you rule him" I said, remembering how Johan would always call me "Mistress Hicca" whenever we spoke. Apart from Gobber, Johan's one of the few people who was ever nice to me. My stomach growls. I blush as I cover it, much to Justin's amusement.

"Well, we better head down the mess hall. You haven't eaten for some time" he said.

"Okay" I said.

* * *

The mess hall was just as unique as the rest of Heaven's Peak. It was very spacious with a stone floor and walls, which had a homey feel. The entire room was filled with various large round wooden tables bolted to the floor, with some even connected to the walls. There were several hearths were littered about with fires going for warmth. There was a second and even third balcony that was also filled with tables and even some games. Near the back was a large bar with various drinks on a shelf. There were many different kinds of decorations on the walls. There were several glowing lanterns on the ceiling that lit up the entire place. There were a number of Sky Fliers in the hall, as well, eating some rather unique meals and chatting while waiters walked about tending to various people.

Me and Justin were sitting at a table near the center of the hall and were sitting across from one another.

"So, how are liking Heaven's Peak, so far?" he asked.

"It's rather unique and unexpected, but I can get used to is, with how nice most of the people I've met have been, even if some of them are weird" I replied.

"You mean Regina, don't you?" Justin asked, though it was more of a statement. I sigh.

"Yeah, she's nice and all, but that fact she likes girls really confuses me? Why is she like that?" I asked.

"First off, that is not my place to share without Regina's consent, and secondly, is it really all that bad?" Justin asked, frowning visibly. I didn't say anything, as I had no answer.

"Look, I get it. You, obviously, don't have Homosxuals in Berk, but we all came to this island to get away from our respective societies' stigma and be ourselves. I'm not asking you to become Regina's girlfriend, but I am asking you to, at least, give her a chance. You won't regret it, I promise you" he said with a bright smile. This guy really knows what to say, doesn't he? I can't help but agree to, at least, give Regna a chance at being my friend. That's when a waitress came up to us.

She was around our age and was just as small and skinny as us. Like Regina, she was a redhead, but her hair was much darker and styled into a more neat and complex low bun and she had a pair of odd eyes; her left eye was emerald green while her right eye was sapphire blue. She also had fair skin. She wore a burgundy, long-sleeved dress with a white apron over it and brown boots. For some strange reason, I was somewhat staring at her.

"Hello, Justin. Who is your friend?" she asked.

"Koryn, this is Hicca. She'll be staying with us" Justin said.

"Hello" Koryn said.

"Hi" I said, being courteous.

"So, is there anything you would like, this morning?" she asked us.

"Give us the breakfast special and some water" Justin said, which I was thankful for. I had no idea as to what they served here. Koryn nodded and walked off, and I just kept staring, which didn't go unnoticed by Justin, by he didn't comment.

"So, Hicca, is there anything else on your mind?" he asked, snapping me out of my stupor.

"There is. Your story with how you met Zippy has gotten me thinking that I need to learn to, somehow, fight and actually be something other than a waste of space" I said.

"You really don't need to do that. You were never a waste of space" Justin countered. I stare at him.

"Are you sure you're not 100 years old or something? You sound pretty wise for your age" I said. He shrugged.

"I like to read. You'd be surprised as to what people will put into a book" he said.

"Anyway. I still want to learn how to defend myself. My lack of strength and fighting ability made my dad stay away from the fight whenever the dragons raided our village. I stayed in Gobber's, the village blacksmith, forge, fixing weapons. But, I always wanted to help and tried to find other ways to do it, such as building unique contraptions, like Regina, but on a smaller scale" I said.

"Fortunately, fighting is not all about strength, but training require a lot of hard work and determination" Justin said.

"I know that, Justin. Thankfully, I may be as strong as a Viking, but I'm as stubborn as one" I said. At that moment, Koryn returned with two large places filled with an assortment of still hot food. I drooled at the sight, making Koryn giggle. I blushed in embarrassment, internally wondering why this girl makes me feel like this. As soon as she left, I felt my hunger return full force and I begin to wolf down the food without a second thought. Justin ate at a much slower pace.

"I wouldn't be so confident, Hicca. There are a few trainers here that are utterly ruthless in their methods" he said.

"Not all of them, Justin" a new voice said. I turn and find another girl sitting in the chair behind me.

She must've been a year older than me with a rather athletic build and slightly tanned skin and brilliant amber eyes. She had waist-length ash black hair styled into a relaxed fishtail braid down her back. She wore a black leather tunic with light grey pants and boots covered in thick coarse fur. Tied around her waist is a red sash that had the two ends hanging by her right side. She had on leather bracers with thick fur on both ends and wore a white shawl around her shoulders and the Sky Fliers' shoulder cape.

She sat in her chair backwards, her arms resting the chair's back as she stared at us with a light grin.

"Who are you?" I asked.

"Name's Bernice, the local master of the spear" she replied, proudly.

"Self-proclaimed, that is" Justin jabbed with a smile. Bernice deflated.

"Why must you always take away my glory?" she asked with a childish pout.

"Because the last time you got your ego fueled, you nearly got yourself eaten by velociraptors" Justin said with a deadpan tone.

"That was one time!" she exclaimed, a vivid blush on her face. I couldn't help but giggle at their antics. Bernice coughed, trying to banish the blush on her face.

"Anyway, I couldn't help but overhear that you wishing to learn how to fight. I can help you with that" she said.

"No offense to you, but your methods are a little extreme. I still remember that when I let you train Zippy, she always came out with something broken" Justin said, a look of disapproval. Now that I know of Zippy's past, I understand why he seems to act like a big brother to her. Given her history, she would interpret any form of violence as punishment for something she did bad.

"She became a decent fighter, didn't she?!" Bernice exclaimed.

"Yet, at the cost of her nearly having a relapse" Justin countered, calmly. Man, it takes a lot to get him angry.

"Everyone's a critic" Bernice muttered in annoyance.

"Only when you seem to not know the meaning of restraint" Justin said. Bernice didn't respond, this time.

"Is she really that reckless?" I asked, finally getting into this conversation.

"Yes. It's mainly because she's from Sparta, a nation state that places a very strong emphasis on military. So, knowing how to fight was considered normal and mandatory" Justin said. Bernice responded by flexing her muscles with a proud smirk.

"Which is why I'm reluctant to let her train you. You're not Spartan, so you don't have the same fighting drive as her. I'm worried you may get hurt" Justin said. Wow, Regina is right. He does act like a brother to everyone.

"Didn't you say that training to be able to fight would be difficult?" I asked. He went quiet, seeming to evaluating if he did say that.

"Yes, but the fact is Bernice isn't exactly gentle" he said, making Bernice pout and stick her tongue out at him. I offer him a smirk.

"Justin, I'm a Viking. We're just as rough and tough as a Spartan. I'm pretty sure I'll be fine" I said. Justin just lets a small sigh while Bernice looked triumphant.

* * *

In a few minutes later, me and Bernice marched up to the training arena. Justin didn't come with us as he had decided he kept Zippy waiting long enough to fulfill his promise to her. I'm honestly feeling really bad for the girl. To be treated as nothing more as an expendable work drone for your entire live for no reason? That is just cruel. It's even sadder than most slaves aren't as lucky as Zippy. I force those thoughts out of my mind as we enter the training arena.

It was quite similar to the arena on Berk, but much bigger. Instead of spiked cage-like top, the roof was some sort of see-through material. The floor was natural dirt instead of stone. On the right side, the wall had a large number of racks filled with various weapons of all kinds. There were a few training dummies about and some other training equipment I didn't recognize.

"Welcome to the training arena, Hicca. Here, you'll find everything you need to become a great warrior. All you need is determination and a fire roaring in your stomach" Bernice said, doing a few flexing poses. She really likes to show off her muscles. I roll my eyes, but smile nonetheless. She walks over to the racks.

"First things first. Let's figure out what weapon you're best at. We'll go through each weapon until we find one that suits you" she said.

"How will I know which one that suits me if I've never picked any weapon besides a dagger?" I asked.

"Oh, I know what to look for. One of the perks of being from a warrior culture is knowing weapons work and which fits a person the best. Now, let's get started" she said. The first on the list was a spear. I whacked myself seven times in rapid succession. Next was a mace, but I could barely lift it off the ground. I couldn't use an axe, as I nearly sliced my arm off with it. I tried a boomerang, like Justin, but clonked myself on the head. I couldn't shoot an arrow ten inches when I tried a bow. Trying to use a greatsword was like me trying to use the mace. Same with the hammer. I, finally, grabbed an average one-handed sword and Bernice's eyes light up.

"I think we found your weapon, Hicca" she said.

"Really?" I asked.

"Yes, really. Trust me, I know these things. Now, onto the next part. Physical training" she said with a smile that me, for some reason, feel uneasy. Next thing I knew, she was having me perform push-ups, sit ups, chin-ups, and running laps around the arena with heavy weights on my shoulders. All of them I had to do twenty times each. The whole time Bernice shouted encouragements and reprimands for slacking off as she worked me like a slave driver. I don't know how long she trained me, but by the time it was over, the sun was setting and I could barely feel my everything. I return to my room as Regina was working on some contraption. She turned to me as I let a loud groan.

"Wow, you like you've been through one of Bernice's training sessions" she said. She was right. My hair and clothes were an absolute mess and covered in some much dirt, it wasn't even funny. I also had a few light bruises.

"I had been through one. I wanted to learn how to fight and Bernice agreed to train me. Is she always like that?" I asked.

"More or less. But, her method has a reputation for creating strong and skilled fighters if they can power through it. So, just don't give up and you'll be a tough gal, in no time" she said with a friendly smile. I smiled back, even though my body was screaming.

"By the way, the bathroom is through that door. You should freshen up. It'll help soothe your aching body." she added, pointing to the nearby door. I trudged over to the door, muttering a "thank you" and walked in to see a rather large and fancy bathroom inside. Regina helped me figure out to work the strange tub and the second I step in, it was pure bliss. I couldn't help but sigh in relief as all the pain my body was feeling melted away. I must've spent an hour in the tub. When I, eventually, got out, Regina offered my a soft robe to cover myself with and I went straight to bed, knowing I'll be needing a lot of sleep for tomorrow.

* * *

For the next week, it was the same routine. I'd get up early in the morning, get some breakfast, and meet Bernice in the training arena, where she would train me like there's no tomorrow for several hours of the day-she added swordsmanship into the mix. Once she declared the training session over, I'd leave and see what I else I can do. I started to bond with Regina by helping her with her tinkering, and even suggesting a few ideas of my own. She was delighted to have an assistant, and was more than happy to help me improve my own tinkering skills. For my sake, she kept her flirting to a bare minimum, and seemed to remind me of Gobber. I can actually feel a sisterly bond forming between us. I've also been trying to talk to Koryn, but she's quite the workaholic, and that only seems to make me even more interested in getting to know her. With Justin's help, she was talked into spending the day with me and we became fast friends. I've also been trying to bond with Zippy, and help her be more confident and independent, which Justin is grateful for. Said, she can use all the love and support she can get. While rather timid, she does seem to have a passion singing, which Justin encourages. As for Bernice, she's taken a rather "tough love" style role with me. She trains me until my body feels like I've lost an argument with a Monstrous Nightmare, but shouts nothing praise and encouragement towards me. I've also been hanging out in Heaven's Peak's library, which located underneath the fort and was nearly as large as the fortress, itself, and filled with an endless amount of various books.

The entire time I was here, I wasn't shunned or bullied in any shape or form. Everyone was curious about my origins, yes, but never belittle me because of it. They didn't even care that I was small. I was so happy to finally be accepted. On Berk, I never got any recognition, even with my complex inventions and ideas. Now, I can actually be my own person, instead of what my village wants me to be. That's what the Sky Fliers and the villages on this island stand for: being yourself and true to yourself. And I intend to be just that.

So, get ready world. Hicca Haddock is going face you you, head on!

* * *

 **Chapter 2 is finished.**

 **A/N: Sorry if the story's lore seems to be inconsistent. I sometimes forget it, but I'm doing my best to correct it. And I promise to bring in Toothless, soon. You can't have a Hiccup-centric story(genderbent or not) without everyone's favorite Night Fury, in some shape or form. It's essentially HTTYD fanon law.**

 **Feel free to leave your thoughts. I enjoy hearing what you guys think. Until next time!**


	3. Forbidden Friendship

(THIRD PERSON P.O.V)

It was nighttime over Heaven's Peak island and almost everyone in Heaven's peak fortress was asleep, including Hicca, after another session of grueling training with Bernice. None of them were aware of the black shape soaring through the night sky, silently. It's black scales made it nearly invisible against the darkened sky. The creature landed at the foot of fairly sized pond and contently drank the refreshing water. A noise made the creature tense up and, after a few minutes, three massive bat-like beasts charged out of the trees. The creature took off into the air, the bats' close behind. While the creature was astonishingly fast, the bats managed to keep up. What followed was a aerial race as the creature tried to lose the bats, to not avail. They eventually started to perform various maneuvers and tactics, but the creature dodged them and unleashed powerful, blue-colored blasts at them with great accuracy. The bats retreated, seemingly defeated. However, as the creature turned to fly away, one of the bats doubled back and sliced a fin off its tail. Roaring in pain, the shape rapidly descended to the ground and crash landed.

The creature got to its feet and glared at the bats, who seemed to be retreating. With a snort, the creature walked off, grumbling at its lousy luck.

* * *

(HICCA'S P.O.V)

I'm just going to say it. I love Heaven's Peak. I've been treated better here in the month I was here than my entire life on Berk. I have true friends in Justin, Zippy, Koryn, Regina, and Bernice. Some of them was teaching me something new. Justin was teaching me basic Alchemy. While nowhere at his level, I'm getting the basic stuff down, but I have no intention of making it my main skill like he did. I helped Justin teach Zippy learn to be more independent and confident in herself. Undoing all that pain and misery won't happen overnight, but we're willing to wait as long as possible to help her. I was becoming fast friends with Koryn, who's also a seamstress that helps make new clothes and blankets for everyone while also working at the mess hall. She's a pretty sweet, if somewhat forceful and gung-go, girl. Regina was happy to have someone to help her with her projects, and is excited that I share her passion for inventing. Bernice still trained me until I could barely move the whole time, but I noticed I was becoming less winded over time, which filled me with excitement. Justin still kept a wary glance on Bernice, hoping she doesn't cause me to break my bones or something, much to her annoyance. However, I'm really improving under her. I squealed loud enough that Valhalla heard me when I checked my reflection and saw I was beginning to develop muscles. Honest to goodness _muscles_. They were small, but I didn't care. I'm finally becoming strong.

I was down in the library, by myself, today. Justin had gone out for some new herbs and ingredients that all had unpronounceable names. Zippy was off by herself, somewhere. Regina was fast asleep after another night of non-stop tinkering. Bernice was called off to a far off coastal town to help with some sort of infestation they've been having. I have no idea where Koryn is. So, I was spending my time just browsing through Heaven's Peak's extensive library. Thor knows what I can learn from this collection. I was currently reading a book on a place called Greece, sitting in one of the many throne-like really comfy chairs scattered about. Greece sounds like a very interesting place to visit. Such advanced science and architecture compared to that of the Vikings. I hope to actually explore more of the world, later. However, without some fast and reliable way of transportation, that'll be extremely hard. I barely made it here to Heaven's Peak, and I'm not about to push my luck. There were a few other Sky Fliers around, by they were minding their own business, and I was okay with that. Despite having a new group of real friends, I didn't mind some private time every now and again.

"Mind if I sit here?" a familiar voice asked. I look up to see Koryn, smiling at me. I gesture for her to sit down and she does.

"Enjoying the Heaven's Peak library?" she asked, a sly smile on her face.

"Oh, yeah. I might actually decide to move in here, with how much I'm learning" I said. Koryn giggles.

"Well, as the saying goes: "Knowledge is power"." she said.

"A rather interesting saying" I said.

"Yes, but it's the basis for our main fighting tactics. Even the strongest opponents can be beaten through cunning and strategy, Hicca. You just need to think outside the box" Koryn said, pointing both of her pointer fingers at her head. I giggled at her antics.

"Wll, I can't say brainpower hasn't helped me, but Vikings tend to believe in the opposite and are very stubborn and almost blatantly refuse to change" I said.

"That's what Justin said. He visited this place called the Northern Markets, which is full of Vikings, and said he nearly lost it on that island" Koryn mused. I remember Justin stating he's visited Viking lands, before.

"Yeah, he doesn't seem to like stubborn people" I said.

"Oh, big time. I once saw him telling off his own sister for being stubborn, one time" she said with a shake of her head, as if silently laughing at the memory. I suddenly hear footsteps and I turn to see a panicked and slightly panting Zippy coming up to us.

"Mistress Hicca! Master Justin requests your presence in the training arena!" she said, looking like she's seen a ghost. I look at Koryn, who was just as confused. We get up and follow Zippy to the training arena and, once we arrived, we head up into the stands, where Justin, Daemun, and a ginger-haired boy were standing. We come up next to them and Daemun acknowledges us.

"Glad you could make it, Hicca. We need your help" he said, straight to the point.

"With what?" I asked.

"With that" the ginger-haired boy said, gesturing down at the arena. I follow his gaze and I'm sure my heart stopped.

Walking around the arena was a dragon, no denying it. It a medium-sized dragon with a sleek, dark body covered in black scales with faint lighter patterns on its underside, mostly. It had two pairs of wings, the larger set seeming to be extremely large for its body, a set of ear-like appendages on its head, green cat-like eyes, a long tail with a single fin on the tip, and a short neck. I've never a dragon like this, before.

"What in the name of God is that?" Daemun asked.

"I don't know. I've never seen this species of dragon, before" I replied. Before anyone can say anything else, the dragon launched a purple-colored blast at the wall, causing a small explosion. I was stunned. I can't believe it. This dragon's a…

"Night Fury" I muttered.

"A what?" Koryn asked, confused.

"A Night Fury. It's an incredibly rare and dangerous dragon. It has been described as the unholy offspring of lightning and death itself" I said as it glared at us.

"How rare are we talking here?" the ginger asked.

"This is the first time anyone has ever seen what a Night Fury _looks_ like" I said.

"That's rare" he said.

"Where the heck did you find this?" Koryn asked, looking at Justin. He likely found it, I'm assuming.

"I found him, injured, out in the woods as I was coming back. Had to knock him as he was really wouldn't to blast me to kingdom come" he replied.

"He put up one heck of a fight while we moved him in here. Had to keep a muzzle on him the whole time" the ginger-haired boy said.

"And Patrick isn't kidding, either. He nearly took my arm off at three separate occasions along the way. He must've thought we were imprisoning him or something" Justin said. Oh, so that's the guy's name.

"What are you doing with him?" I asked.

"Nurse him back to health, then release him back into the wild, where he'll be happy, again. There's a small problem, though. He's missing one of his tail fins" Daemun said. I look and he was right, he was missing his left tailfin.

"From what I know of dragons, if the wings or tail are damaged, they can't fly properly. This is going to be a tricky one" Justin said.

"First, we've got to calm him down. Can't help him if keeps trying to blow us up" Patrick said. That got me thinking, a bit. This a rather exciting learning opportunity, as we know practically nothing about Night Furies. Imagine what we could learn if we can gain his trust. Suddenly, an idea popped into my head. I turned to Daemun.

"Do you any fish I can use?" I asked, much to his obvious confusion.

* * *

A while later, Zippy came back with a fish and handed to me. To everyone's shock and worry, I head towards the gate and enter the arena, at the Night Fury's mercy as he glared at me with great hatred and slight curiosity, wondering what what's going through my head, most likely. I get within a feet of him and hold out the fish. Hesitantly, he approaches me and looks ready to grab the fish. Suddenly, he starts growling. I immediately knew why and pulls back my vest, showing the dagger I had on me. He growled even more when I went to grab it, thinking I was going to use it. The group looked worried, but didn't intervene. I grab my dagger with the tips of my pointer finger and thumb, extend my arm out, and drop it. He makes a gesture towards a large crack. I get the message and, with my foot, pick up the dagger and toss it in, making myself defenseless. Satisfied, the Night Fury calms down and relaxes, looking at me with wide eyes. Again, I hold out the fish and, this time, he comes forward and opens his mouth, letting me see that he has no teeth, much to my surprise.

"Huh, Toothless? I could've sworn you had-" I said, but was cut when sharp teeth sprang from his gums. He snatchs the fish from my hands and swallows it whole. I stares at me while I stare back in shock.

"Teeth" I finished, meekly. I looks at me and gets a little too close for comfort, likely looking for more fish.

"Uh, no, no, no. I-I don't have any more" I said, falling onto my butt and ended pinned against a training dummy. Why are theses still up? The Night Fury looks at me and, for some strange reason, starts coughing, as if something was stuck in his throat. He regurgitates half of the fish he ate and it falls into my lap. Grossed out, I look at the Night Fury as he falls onto his haunches. We just start at eachother, me holding what he wants me to do with this fish. He glances at the fish and I put two and two together. Oh, he can't be serious. Sighing, I decide to humor him and, very hesitantly, I take a bite of the fish. I can still feel his saliva on it. I can see the group looking at me as if I just lost my mind. I make a humming sound, trying to sound like I like it. I hold out the fish to him and try nod my head. The Night Fury makes a swallowing motion, wanting me to swallow the fish. I look at him with a "are you kidding me?" look and, reluctantly, swallow. I shudder as the fish travels down my throat. I flash hima grin and he looks at me, confused but curious. I notice the corners of his mouth starting to twitch and, slowly but surely, he gives me a gummy smile of his own. Amazed, I stand and hold my hand out, hoping to touch him. His expression immediately turns to hostile as he growls at me before flying a small distance. He moves in a small circle before lightning up the ground with his fire, heating it up. He lies down and I discreetly walk over and sit a short distance away, as he didn't notice me. He gazes longingly as a Griffin flies overhead. He obviously misses being able to fly. He finally noticed me and gives an annoyed look before laying his head down and covering it with his tail.

Feeling a little bold, I scoot closer to him and try to touch his touch. At the moment, he lifts his tail and looks straight at me. Startled, I stand up and walk away as the Night Fury gets up and actually starts hanging from a piece of training equipment like a bat. I walk over to the group and sigh.

"You're doing pretty great, Hicca. You've made some progress with him. And did so quite quickly, I might add" Justin said with an encouraging smile.

"Try to stay in there with him. It might help get used to being around Humans. Okay?" Daemun asks and I nod with a small sigh. I spend the next few hours doing nothing but drawing in some dirt. I actually start to draw the Night Fury's head. Suddenly, I feel a presence behind and quick glance confirms that it's the Night Fury, looking on as I drew. I do my best to ignore him and finish drawing him. I notice him walking away and, a second latter, hear an odd sound and I look to see him with a pole in his mouth as he drags through the dirt, as if trying to imitate my drawing. I watch as he drags the pole around haphazardly, obviously not knowing what he's doing. He stops and stands back to gaze at his "drawing", feeling proud. I stared at it in awe.

"Incredible" Koryn said.

"Such intelligence" Justin said, both amazed and impressed. I walk about, looking at his work. I step on one of the lines, and he suddenly starts growling at me. Startled, I can take my foot off and becomes docile, again. Deciding to do a little experiment, I place my foot back down on the line, he starts growling again. I take it off and he's docile, again. I did this for a few more times before stepping over the line. He doesn't growl. I walk about, making sure to step over the lines. To anyone watching this, it kind of looks like I'm dancing. However, I was focused on making sure to watch where I stepped, I didn't realize I was getting closer to the Night Fury until I directly under him as I felt his breath on my neck. I look up and see him staring down at me with a gentle and friendly expression. I decided to try to touch him again. He snarls and backs away when I did. So, trying something new, I close my eyes and turn away as I stick out my hand. For a few seconds, there was nothing. Then, I feel something warm against my hand. I open my eyes and look to see the Night Fury had pressed his snout against my palm. He pulls back, looking docile. A few seconds later, his eyes to turn to slits and runs off. Amazed and feeling proud of myself, I return to the stands, where they all await me.

"That was amazing, Hicca! You were able to get his trust!" Koryn said, looking absolutely impressed.

"For the most part, at least. We might be able to safely handle him, now. But, we still have the problem of him not flying. This will take some thinking" Justin said, still somewhat worried. I can understand. Dragons that can't fly tend to be very vulnerable to predators and other dragons. I also begin to ponder this, as well.

"We can discuss this, tomorrow. It's getting late and we all need some shut eye" Daemun said. We all leave the arena. I turn to the Night Fury and he's looking at me with his head tilted. I wave at him in goodbye and question on how to make him fly again stayed in my head, even as I ate dinner and return to my house. I notice Regina is asleep at her desk, again. Not feeling tired, I sit on my bed and draw the Night Fury, but made sure to leave out one tail fin. I sighed, really wishing I could help him, but I can't just make him a new tail fin. Another idea popped into my head I look at the drawing and add in a new left tail fin. Maybe I can build him a new tail fin…

"That's it!" I exclaim, figuring out what to do. I rush over to Regina. I gently shake her shoulder gently. After a few moments, she pops out, wide away.

"It's not a rash, it's a birthmark!" she shouted for not apparent reason. I decided it's best not to ask. She regains her bearings.

"Oh, hey Hicca. Something you need?" she asked, still sleepy.

"Yeah, are there any forges in the fort I can use?" I asked.

"There's one next to the arena. Why do you ask?" she asked.

"Oh, nothing too important. Well, gotta go" I said, darting off and climbing up the ladder as fast as I could. I find the forge in record time and got right to work. Thanks to my knowledge in blacksmithing, I had little trouble using the forge, even if it was bigger than the one on Berk. After, probably, hours of heating, hammering, and cooling metal into the desired shapes, I complete what I working on and nod in approval. Now, I'll just show this to Daemun in the morning and see how it goes.

* * *

The next morning, I presented my invention to Daemun in his office while he was talking to Justin. I smiled at their stunned and puzzle expressions.

"Uh, what is this?" Daemun asked.

"The solution to Toothless's inability to fly" I replied. Justin picks it up to get a better look at it.

"Toothless?" Daemun asked.

"The Night Fury. I named him Toothless" I said. I came up with the name sometime after finishing my little project and that name kind of fit due to his retractable teeth. Daemun just looks at me, his brain trying to comprehend why I named him Toothless, of all things. Justin unfolds my invention, which is a artificial tail fin.

"An artificial tail fin?" he asked.

"Yes. We strap this on him and he'll be able to fly, again" I said.

"How will he position it?" Daemun asked. I just shrug. I haven't figured that part out, yet. First, I need to know this will work.

"Still a few flaws to work out, but this is a good step in the right direction. All we need to do is test it" Justin said, a small smile on his face.

"Well, Hicca will need to be there, as this is her invention and, uh, Toothless trusts her more any of us, at the moment" Daemun said. Justin nodded and handed the fin back to me.

"I'll meet you by the gate to the arena. I'm going to grab some things we'll need to handle this" he said. I leave Daemun's office and head over to the arena. Ten minutes later, Justin comes with a large basket over his shoulders.

"What's in the basket?" I asked.

"Fish. He'll likely be rather hungry and this would distract him long enough to let you strap that fin onto his tail" he said. I smile and nod. We enter the arena and Toothless spots us and looks rather happy.

"Hey, Toothless, we brought breakfast. I hope your hungry' I said as Justin places the basket onto the ground and knocks it over, causing the assorted fish inside to spill. Toothless looks absolutely ecstatic at the sight of such a large meal.

"Okay, that's disgusting. What do you get him?" I asked as Toothless began sniffing the fish.

"Salmon, Icelandic Cod, and a smoked eel" Justin replied. As soon as he said, Toothless started growling. Confused, he pulled out the eel and Toothless actually looked afraid of it. Thinking quickly, he tossed the eel as far from us as possible.

"Guess Night Furies don't like eels" he said, wiping off his hand.

"Yeah, I don't like eels, either" I said, and I'm not lying. They're disgusting! With the eel gone, Toothless proceeded to devour the fish. I slowly made my way to his tail while Justin remained in front to keep him distracted. I quietly laid the fin on the ground align with Toothless's tail, but it moved as he shifted around. I tried to move it against it, again, but it kept moving. I lightly touch and flicks a little. I lay my hands on it and flails about more. Finally, I force it down. I nearly let go when he puts his head inside the basket, looking for more fish, and causing his tail to jerk forward. I get on top of it with my back to him and start to strap on the replacement fin. I fasten the belt as tightly as I can and sit up to admire my work. I felt pretty proud of myself.

"Uh, Hicca? You might want to hang on" Justin said, nervously. I looked at him confused and noticed Toothless had his wings spread out. My eyes widen. On no. Before I could react, Toothless takes off and flies about. He starts to plummet towards the ground again. Thinking quickly, I unfold the fake fin, and he started soaring through the air, again. He does a small maneuver as I adjust the fin's angle. I was absolutely ecstatic.

"I can't believe it! It's working!" I shouted. Suddenly, Toothless does a sharp turn. I wasn't prepared, so I slipped off of his tail and landed on the ground. Thankfully, it wasn't high, so I wasn't hurt. Toothless back to the ground, as well, kicking up some dirt in the process. Justin runs over to me and helps me up.

"Looks like we have some kinks to work out, Hicca. But, this invention shows a lot of promise" he said, smiling wide. I smiled back. Toothless gets up and waltz over to me, looking curious. Then, an idea came to me.

"I think I might have something" I said. Both Justin and Toothless stare at me, confused, then glance at each other.

* * *

Like the night before, I spent this night building what I had an in mind. The next morning in the arena, I presented my new idea-a saddle built to fit onto a dragon-to Justin, Bernice, and Toothless. Justin and Regina were both confused and amused at the same time. Bernice starts laughing like a loon.

"A saddle? Seriously?" she asked, finding the idea ridiculous.

"Yeah. If you saddle and ride Griffins, perhaps I can do the same with Toothless" I said.

"Good luck getting it on, though" Justin said, gesturing to Toothless, who looked ready to play. I approach him and he takes off running. So, I chase off after him, trying to get the saddle on him, but he doesn't slowly down for one second. Justin and Bernice just watch on with massive smirks on their faces, not bothering to help me. I eventually manage to get him to wear it and the four of us moved to a more open space in the surrounding forest. I was now mounted on Toothless's back, holding a cord attached to the fin to help control it for flight. I pull the cord and it cause Toothless to fall ande me to fall out of the saddle. So, I added a flight harness, replacing my usual tunic with it, so I won't fall off. We try again, and I tie the cord to my foot, but it was difficult to control and we ended crashing into a field of tall grass. Justin on Silverbolt comes in from the air.

"You okay, Hicca?" he asked. I get up, having been separated from Toothless.

"I am. Now, where's Toothless?" I asked. I push through some grass, and find a very curious sight. Toothless was rolling around in the grass, like a cat in catnip.

"Would you look at that. This plant is like catnip to Toothless" Justin said. Silverbolt eats some of the grass and promptly spits it out. On my face. I give the Griffin a glare, not that he seems to mind as he stares at me. An hour later, we take a break and I begin to scratch Toothless and he's loving every second of it. As he blissfully enjoys it, I scratch under his chin and he falls to the ground in a heap, as if I just knocked him out.

" Has a sensitive spot that knocks him cold out" Justin said, writing in a journal. He started to write down this stuff, as it'll help us understand dragons more, as he put it. I can't help but agree with him. We return to the arena where Bernice was putting up some shields. It reflects a bit of sunlight onto the ground and Toothless seems to be hypnotized by it. I get an idea.

"Hey, Bernice, move that spot around" I said. Bernice shrugs and does what I said. As I expected, Toothless pounced on it, like a feline. It was oddly amusing.

"Is it me or do Night Furies seem to behave like giant, scaly cats?" she asked, laughing at the scene before her.

"It isn't just you" Justin said. Finally, I do some more calibrations on the saddle, attaching a circular piece that is around Toothless's foreleg with a adjustable pedal. I attach the string to it. Once it was set up, we call it a day as the sun was starting to set.

* * *

The next morning, we head to a windy cliff to test out my latest saddle design. So, Justin tied Toothless to a sturdy tree stump and I mounted him. Using the wind to glide, I tested the different positions of the pedal. The first one allowed us to land safely. Justin wrote it down on a sheet to sue as a study guide for later. We try a second time, but the wind picked up, causing the rope to break and send us flying into the tree behind us. Toothless gets us, dragging me up as I'm still connected to him by the harness. I move to undo, but I see that it's been bent, making it impossible for me to unhook myself.

"Oh, great" I mutter. Justin catches up to us.

"Is there a problem?" he asked.

"Yeah" I said, showing him the bent hook.

"Well, we better head back so we can cut you loose" he said. We fly back to the fort and head to the forge. Justin grabs a knife and begins cutting at the rope. Koryn comes up to us.

"Hey, how are the tests coming along?" she asked.

"They're coming along great. Just had a minor snag, at the moment" I replied, grunting a bit as Toothless jerks a bit. He's really improved on his attitude in these few days. He hasn't lashed out or growled at anyone, so far, and remains rather docile and friendly towards most of us. Guess, he was just wary and doesn't see us as a threat. Not anymore, at least.

"Hey, listen, are you going to be doing anything, tomorrow?" Koryn asked me. I didn't notice how nervous she sounded.

"We're probably going to wrap up the final tests of Toothless's saddle, today, so I've got nothing planned, tomorrow. Why do you ask?" I asked. Toothless jerked some more, making nearly fall over.

"Oh, I was wondering if you and I can, uh, hang out, tomorrow. Just you and me. Is that okay?" Koryn asked, blushing heavily and trying her best not to stutter. Justin cuts me free and I stumble a bit before righting myself.

"Oh, sure, I don't see why not. Does early morning sound good for you?" I asked with a smile.

"That sounds lovely. Well, see you, tomorrow" she said and left. Justin gives me a massive smirk and there was a mischievous glint in his eyes.

"What?" I asked, not understanding why he's smiling.

"Oh, nothing. Well, shall we get onto the final tests, Hicca?" he asked, a more challenging smirk on his face. I return the smirk. So, after fixing the saddle's hook, we take off and do so more tests with Justin writing down the positions on the sheet. Afterwards, he leads us to a spot filled with large sea stacks and we both take off into the air. This was the final tests, and it was going to be a live test, as well. Justin fly beside us.

"Alright, we're going to take this nice and slow" he said.

"Okay, here we go. Here wo go. Position 3-no 4" I said, checking the cheat sheet I had clipped to the saddle. I adjusted my foot to move the tail fin into position 4. As he moved, I checked everything to ensure it was working properly. So far, no problems.

"Alright, it's go time. It's go time" I muttered as we descended into a divebomb. Justin remained where he was. We leveled out near the water's surface with Toothless's wing actually skimming the surface. We flew under one of the sea stacks, seagulls flying above us. Everything was working perfectly.

"Yes, it worked!" I shouted in happiness. However, that dampened somewhat when we accidentally hit a sea stack.

"Sorry!" I yelled. Then, we hit another one. Toothless looked at, annoyed.

"That's my fault!" I yelled. Toothless slapped me with one of his ear-things.

"Yeah, yeah, I'm on it. Position 4" I said, getting the message. We started climbing up into the sky. I was excited as we went higher. Toothless had his tongue sticking out in happiness. However, my happiness vanished when my cheat sheet came loose and flew out. I tried to grab it, but I ended coming unhooked and falling towards the ocean below. Toothless quickly soon afterwards. As we were free falling, I tried to get back into the saddle, but Toothless's panicking wasn't helping, even hitting me with his tail, at one point. I do manage to get into the saddle, but the sea stacks were getting awfully close. We were getting close to a forest, so Toothless opened up his wings to slow us down, but were still going pretty fast and towards some sea stacks. I glance at the cheat sheet, but read it due to the wind flopping it around. I toss it aside and my mind goes into overdrive as we weave around the stacks with amazing cooperation and agility. We clear the sea stacks and I calm down. I can't believe we just did that!

"YEAH!" I shouted. Toothless launched a plasma blast, which exploded in front of us.

"Come on!" I groaned as the fiery explosion came towards us.

* * *

We were on a small rocky outcropping, afterwards. Because of that fireball, my hair was slightly singed and blown back, my face and clothes were covered in soot, and I had a few burns on me. Justin had reunited with us and was currently tending to my burns with some ointment. Toothless coughs up another fish he ate. I was grossed out, again.

"Uh, no thanks. I'm good" I said, gesturing to fish I was cooking over a fire.

"I gotta say, that was pretty impressive, what you did back there. Most beginner Sky Fliers don't usual maneuver around sea stacks that well. Especially after having fallen off their mount and had no time to prepare for it, beforehand" Justin said.

"Speaking of which, where were you through all that?" I asked, annoyed he didn't come to help us.

"Hey, it's not my fault you have a dragon that's incredibly fast. Griffin's are built for maneuverability and long-distance flight, not raw speed" Justin defended. I hear chirping and a flock of Terrible Terrors land on the outcropping. I look nervously while Toothless wraps his paws around a pile of fish he caught, growling. One of the Terrors grabs the fish he coughed up and begins eating it. Another tries to sneak a bite, but the first one drives it off with a burst of fire. As Toothless was watching this, one of his fish springs, much to his surprise. He watches it, curiously, as it bounces off. A Terror emerges from the pile, actually holding onto the fish. Toothless is quick to grab the fish and the two dragons get into a tug-o-war with it. Toothless easily wins, swallows the fish, and gives his equivalent to a laugh at the Terror. The offended Terror growls at him and readies to blast him fire. Toothless, obviously unimpressed, launches a small blast into the Terror's mouth, causing it to inflate for a second before wobbling about, dazed. Toothless watches it, smugly.

"Huh, not so fireproof on the inside, are you?" I asked, having watched the whole scene. I tossed the little guy a fish. He happily eats it whole, crawls over to me and, to my surprise, curls up next to me, like a loyal pet. I pet the Terror as I came to a shocking conclusion.

"Everything we no about you guys… is wrong" I said.

"Quite shocking, having been taught to hate them, all your life, isn't it?" Justin asked, having finished treating me.

"It is. Guess this makes me even more different than most Vikings" I said with a light smile. I'm honestly no longer concerned about what my people think, anymore.

"It does, and that's a good thing. One day, that stubbornness will bite the Vikings in the butt, that's a guarantee" he said. He stands up.

"Well, we better get back to Heaven's Peak. You have an important outing with Koryn, tomorrow, after all" he said, that mischievous glint returning in his eyes. What is he thinking? I don't bother asking and we simple mount up and fly back.

* * *

We land back in the main courtyard. As I dismount, Justin rummages through Silverbolt's saddlebag. He pulls out that red cape that all Sky Fliers wear and presents it to me.

"Hicca, when you told us about your scheme to ride Toothless, me and Daemun got into a rather important discussion" he said.

"About what?" I asked, confused.

"I'll cut to chase: Hicca Haddock, you're now recognized as an official Sky Flier, as of today. This cape is yours to wear, proudly" he said, stunning me. Me? A Sky Flier? Am I dreaming?

"No, you aren't dreaming, Hicca. You're one of us, now. So, take this. It's yours. From me, as both a comrade, and a friend" he said with a smile. Still shocked, I accept the cape and, without another word, head for my house. Toothless follows me. Thankfully, the doorway was wide enough for him. As I enter, I noticed something new. A large slab, bigger than Toothless, in an empty spot of the room.

"Oh, hey Hicca! Daemun told me about how you're taming Toothless. I figured he'd want to stay close to you, so I got him his own bed" Regina said from her desk, smiling brightly. Then, she notices the cape in my heads and gasps.

"You're a Sky Flier, now! That's awesome!" she shouted, hugging me with all your strength. When she lets go, Toothless heads over to his new bed. I head over to mine, placing my new cape onto a night stand and climb into bed, today having exhausted me, physically and mentally. I was, however, looking forward for tomorrow, where I get to get some time with Koryn.

* * *

 **Told you I'd bring Toothless in! Now, he's here and here to stay.**

 **No announcements, this time.**

 **Until next time.**


	4. Romantic Outing

**I don't own HTTYD.**

 **A/N: And no, there's not going to be any male-Astrid. Sorry, I thought I'd already made this statement, but I didn't.**

* * *

(HICCA'S P.O.V)

It was the early morning and I was pretty happy today. I'm going to spend the day with Koryn, after she had asked me, yesterday. I was also amazed I learned that everything we Vikings knew about dragons was dead wrong. They aren't merciless killing machines, but gentle creatures that are much smarter than we gave them credit for. I owe that revelation to Toothless, my new best friend. Anyway, as I said, I got early, today, and spent an hour cleaning myself up. It took every ounce of my willpower not to fall asleep in the very relaxing tub. I was snapped out of my thought by someone knocking at the door. It's Regina.

"Hey, Hicca, did you fall asleep in there, or what? Don't forget you have a special outing, today" she said, in a teasing tone, much to my confusion. Ever since Koryn asked me out, Justin sent me these odd smiles that had some ulterior motive and now Regina's teasing me about it. What's with this? I'm just going out with Koryn, and that's it. Any, I think I stayed in this tub, long enough. I step out and dry off with a soft towel. I step out of the bathroom and see Regina giving the exact same look as Justin did. I ignore it and got dressed. I made some changes to my regular outfit after yesterday. I wore my harness instead of my vest, now, and I had sewed my new Sky Flier cape to the left shoulder pad of my harness.

"Welp, I'm going out. We might be out, all day" I said, climbing up the ladder. Toothless followed close behind. I still don't get how he's able to climb up this ladder so easily. We leave the tower and see Koryn standing, waiting for me, in front of the mess hall. As we got close, she spotted us and smiled, which made me smile back.

"Hey" I said.

"Hey" she replied, a faint blush on her cheeks.

"So, where do you want to go?" I asked. She never said where we would go, yesterday.

"Oh, there is a beautiful spring not far from here. I thought we could go for a nice, relaxing, swim" she said. I haven't swam in a while.

"Great. Hop on Toothless" I said, mounting Toothless. Koryn looked uncertain.

"Uh, are you sure we can trust him?' she asked, fearfully. I smile gently.

"Yes, he may look fearsome, but he's a big pussy cat" I said. To help, Toothless let his tongue hang out, making it hard to be afraid of him. She giggles at the sight and, slowly, she climbs on behind me, wrapping her arms around my waist. Once she was secure, we take off. Koryn yelps in surprise, as this is likely the first time she's ever been in the air, before. We stop in the air.

"Okay, which way?" I asked, glancing at Koryn. She hesitantly looks around and points to the South. We take off in the direction. The fight was quiet as Koryn leaned against my back, probably lost in thought or trying not to look down. Her eyes do start to drift around, in awe of the beauty that the sky had. I couldn't help but smile at her amazed expression. This must be her first time being up so high, and she's enjoying it. She looks over my shoulder.

"The spring is just up ahead, past those two large trees" she said, pointing ahead. I follow her finger and see the two large trees up ahead. We flew past them and landed in a large clearing and I see the spring. It was huge, almost like a lake with several waterfalls feeding into it from a cliff. We dismount and I gaze in wonder at this sight. I faintly hear Koryn giggle, likely amused by my reaction. I'm brought out of my awe by her tapping my shoulder.

"I'll go find us a shady spot to relax" she said, our eyes locking before she walks off. I hear Toothless give a throaty laugh and I turn to glare at him.

"Oh, you find us amusing, do you?" I asked, rhetorically, as Toothless gave me a massive smirk.

"You forget I'm the only reason you can fly, so don't get smart with me" I mock-threatened. Toothless didn't seem to care as he yawned, as if I just bored him. I give him another glare.

"Hey, Hicca! I found us a spot!" Koryn yelled.

"Coming!" I yelled back. I run off to Koryn while Toothless a spot to sleep, for the time being. I find Koryn standing under a large shady tree that covered a small ledge. Koryn was on her knees, waiting for me. She spots me and flashes a warm smile at me as I sit down next to her.

"This place is beautiful, Koryn" I said, nearly breathless. I barely noticed Koryn staring at me, blushing madly. She turned away when I looked at her after forcing myself to turn away from this amazing sight.

"Yeah… it is" she said. After a short silence, she stands up and proceeds to take off her dress and boots, leaving her only in her underwear. She undoes her bun, letting her long hair flow down her back. She glances at me.

"Well, shall we?" she asked with a raised eyebrow. I flash a small smile being stripping down to my underwear, as well. I ran my hand through my chin-length hair. I keep it short so it doesn't caught on anything. Koryn jumped in first and I followed suit. I don't know how long we stayed in the water, as I lost track of time. We did do some swimming, but it soon turned to playfully splashing water at each to diving under to see what was at the bottom. Neither of us could hold our long enough to reach the bottom, though. I laughed when a frog came and landed on her head, much to her confusion and own amusement. Eventually, we started getting cold, so we got out and wrapped ourselves with some blanket Koryn brought. The sun was directly overhead, meaning it was around midday. Toothless was still sleeping, seemingly not paying attention to our time together.

"So, Hicca. Did you have any boyfriends?" she asked, out of the blue. I stifled a giggle.

"Nope. Most of the boys back on Berk saw me as unattractive or too weak for their standards. They'd rather kiss a Monstrous Nightmare than me, I heard one of them say before" I replied. Normally, such words would hurt me, but I actually don't feel anything. Guess spending all this time away from Berk has made me forget all of that.

"That's kind of like me. Everyone thought I was ugly all because I have two different colored eyes. My parents ignored me except when I do something that they think is wrong. Guess that's the main reason I came here. To find acceptance" Koryn said, hugging her knees. I wrap my arm around her shoulder, not noticing the blush on her face because of that.

"Guess we have something in common. We're both outcasts in our respective homes. But, we're here, in a place that accepts us, so what they say doesn't matter anymore. They can't hurt us here" I said, hoping to lift her mood. It works as she flashes me a wide smile.

"Thanks, Hicca. You're a great friend" she said, then muttered something I didn't hear. To my surprise, she lays her head on my shoulder, but I didn't mind, as she looked comfortable. She closed her eyes and sighed in content. Man, she sure did look cute. Wait, where did that come from? I shake my head, trying to figure why I thought that. I let it go, quickly, though and just enjoyed this moment.

* * *

(THIRD PERSON P.O.V.)

Back at Heaven's Peak, Justin was grooming Silverbolt, who was enjoying every second of it and kept squirming a few times.

"Hold still, Silverbolt. I can't properly groom you if you can't stop squirming" he said with a chuckle. He heard grumbling and saw Bernice trudging up to him, covered in dirt and foliage of all kinds and had a few cuts on her exposed skin.

"Whoa, what happened to you?" he asked.

"Velociraptors. A whole pack of them" she replied. Justin cringed at that.

"Sounds like you had a rough day" he said.

"No kidding! Now, where's Hicca and Koryn? I haven't seen them at all, so far" Bernice said. Justin smirked widely at that.

"Out on a date" he said. Bernice did a double take.

"Seriously?!" she exclaimed. Justin nodded. Her mouth is now hanging open.

"I didn't think Hicca rolled that way" she said, out loud.

"Things like this, Bernice, aren't set in stone. They can change when in the right situation" Justin said.

"So, when will they back?" she asked.

"Sundown, most likely. And something tells me a new couple will be born, soon, as well" Justin said with a smile.

* * *

(HICCA'S P.O.V.)

Out of nowhere, I let out a loud sneeze. The sudden movement startles Koryn awake, as she was about to fall asleep on me.

"What's wrong, Hicca?" she asked, concerned.

'Oh, nothing. I just sneezed, for some reason" I said.

"Huh. They say that if you sneeze, someone is talking about you" Koryn said, matter-of-factly.

"You don't believe that, do you?" I asked her, skeptically. She just shrugs. Another hour past and we were dry enough to put our clothes back on, which we did. I noticed the sun was starting to dip, meaning it was getting late.

"Well, we better get back to Heaven's Peak. It'll be dark in a couple hours" I said. Koryn nods and head back to where Toothless was sleeping. He wakes up as we approach, seemingly knowing what we want. Once he was fully awake, he climbed on and took off back to home.

* * *

When we got back, Koryn was feeling rather tired and headed home. I walk back to my room, trying ignore the smirk Toothless was giving me the whole way. As we climbed down, I spotted Regina on the floor, messing with some gadget in her hands, as usual. I kept quiet as to not disturb her and head over to my bed while Toothless went over to his slab.

"Hey, Hicca. How was your time with Koryn?" she asked, suddenly, not looking up from her tinkering.

"It was great. I've never had such a good time in my life" I replied.

"Good to hear. Koryn's a really amazing girl if you can stand her overzealous thinking of some things. Come to think of it, she's been surprisingly reserved whenever she's around you" Regina said, thinking it over a bit. Huh, and I thought I was the only who noticed that. She has been rather level-headed with me, despite being known as rather enthusiastic, especially when it comes to making clothes. I shrug and noticed Regina finished her tinkering. It was a bronze colored ball that, suddenly, grew wings and started buzzing around, like a fly. It bopped me on the nose before flying off, which made her giggle.

"What's that supposed to be?" I asked, confused.

"A toy for Toothless" she replied. At that moment, it started bopping Toothless on the head. He tried his best to ignore it, but his patience wore out, quickly. He glared at it and tried to swat it with his paw, but the little gadget dodged. Toothless spent the next few minutes trying to swat it, but it dodged every single time. It was really funny. It eventually stopped flying and Toothless sent it one last glare before laying his head back down.

"I don't think he likes it" I said, trying not to laugh.

"Give it time. He'll grow to love it" she said, picking it up

"Right" I said, not really believing her. Without another word, I climb into bed while Regina heads back to her workspace. It takes about ten minutes for me to fall asleep, mostly since I hear the sound of a storm going on outside, and it sounded big. I didn't muse on it when sleep finally came over me.

* * *

 **Yes, this chapter is short, but I couldn't think of anything else to add. I also think it's clear where I'm going with this, as well. To those who are against LGBT-For whatever reason-I ask you to remain respectful in the comments. If you feel you** **MUST** **, PM me instead of harassing others. Please and thank you.**

 **Now, I'm asking all of you this: what you want to see in future chapters?**

 **Both PMs and Reviews are accepted.**


	5. Raptor Attack

**I don't own HTTYD.**

 **A/N: And Maria, no, Astrid won't become jealous, as Astrid is not going to swing that way. If you have any other ideas, I'm happy to hear them. And if you can, please PM me.**

 **A/N 2: And I won't be accepting/using other people's OCs, as I tend to not follow through on my promise of using them.**

 **A/N 3: I have issued a writing challenge. Please check it out.**

* * *

(THIRD PERSON P.O.V)

It was late at night in a small village located in a sizable clearing. Most of the residents were fast asleep, tired from a day of hard work, or spending some time with their families. None were unaware of the strange creatures that were circling around inside the treeline, staring at the village with hunger in their eyes. One of them gave out a series of loud screeches, which the villagers heard, much to their shock and fear. In a panic, they locked their doors and windows as the creatures sprinted into the village, knocking down anything that wasn't bolted down, grabbing and eating any piece of meat they found, and they found a lot. It took over an hour for the creatures to leave and, even then, the villagers were too scared to leave to check the damage. On a nearby watchtower, two guards watched the whole thing through a telescope.

"this isn't good. they've never this far from their territory, before" one of the guards, a boy, said in a German, deeply worried.

"How did they even get here, anyway?" the other guard, a girl, asked, also in a German accent.

"I don't know and I don't care. we need to call in the Sky Fliers" the boy said, lowering his telescope. The girl nodded and wrote a letter. Once finished, she tied it to the leg of a bird and it flew off towards Heaven's Peak.

"I hope they get here, in time. Before we all starve" the girl said. The boy nodded, grimly.

* * *

(HICCA'S P.O.V.)

"What did I tell you about using spinning blades, Bernice?"

"Hey, how was I supposed to know that would happen?"

"It's a little something called _common sense_ "

"Oh, bite me. She's not hurt, ain't she?"

"This time, yes. But, next time may be different"

I just stared, dumbly, as Justin and Bernice went back and forth. We were all in Koryn's home to fix my clothes. Why you may ask? Well, after another three weeks of training, Bernice got the bright idea of adding spinning blades to the regiment. Justinas even more against it than her initial offer to train me. Practically denying using them, in fact. Despite every instinct in my body screaming at me that it was a terrible, I agreed to do it anyway. I botched, horribly. Thankfully, I got no wounds from the blades, but my clothes now had a gaping hole in the back, much to my eternal embarrassment. We went to Koryn to have them fixed. That was an hour ago and Justin had just arrived, having heard what happened/ and he was not happen. Can't blame him. I could've died because of Bernice's "Spartan Training". I'm starting to develop a low opinion of Spartans, now. I yelp as I feel something sharp poke me in the butt.

"Sorry" Koryn said, sheepishly. Yeah, she couldn't have me take off my clothes to fix them and she had to do it while I'm still wearing them so she gets the size right. While a talent seamstress, she does keep accidentally jamming those needles of hers into my rear end. It didn't hurt that much, but she's done so, five times, already.

"Aren't you being a little too overzealous, here?" Bernice asked, genuinely confused. I just stared at her. Just what kind of culture does Sparta have?

"No, I'm not! Hicca could've been killed in that stunt you made her pull off! I have half a mind to throw you into the ocean and let you walk all the way back" Justin said, clearly upset about this.

"Eh, no progress without risks" she said, shrugging.

"There's risks, and then there's a terrible idea. Yours was a terrible idea" Justin said, bluntly. Yep, he really hates this idea.

"You're too cautious" Bernice stated.

"And you're too reckless" Justin shot back. Before another word could be said, Zippy came in.

"Master Daemun wishes to see you all. Now" she said. We glance at one another, wondering he could want

* * *

We were able to leave immediately, as Koryn was able to finish fixing my clothes. I now know who I'll be going to when I need something sewed. When we got to his office, Daemun looked serious and grim. The next few minutes involved him explaining that a town was just attacked by something called "Velociraptors". Bernice and Justin looked both worried and surprised.

"Velociraptors? This far from the Dense Forests? You're sure you read the report right?" he asked, somewhat skeptical.

"I don't believe it, either, but it's true. They raided a town" Daemun said.

"Uh, what's a Velociraptor?" I asked, utterly confused.

"It's one of the most dangerous predators on the island. Fierce and intelligent pack hunters able to take down prey many times their size and weight through well coordinated attacks. They reside in a region known as the Dense Forests, in reference to how tough it is to get through there. They've never been seen out this far, though" Justin explained. I nodded in understanding.

"What brought them out, though?" Bernice asked.

"We have no idea, but they must be pushed back before more raptor packs get the same idea. The four of you are to be sent out on this mission. Get those raptors back to their usual hunting grounds. Understand?" Daemun asked. We all nodded and left. Zippy trailed behind, somewhat. Justin, Bernice, and Zippy got their Griffins while I got Toothless. We gathered up any supplies we'll need and Justin ensured to direct me what I needed, since I've never seen Velociraptors before. As we got ready to take off, Koryn came up to and gripped my hand, hard.

"I heard of what you'll be facing. Hicca, _please_ be careful. Velociraptors don't show mercy to anyone they see as an enemy" she said, looking like she's trying not to cry. A strange feeling erupted in my chest, but I ignore it to give her a reassuring smile.

"Don't worry. I'll be alright. I promise" I said. With some reluctance, she let go of my hand and I took off, missing the large smiles Justin and Bernice were giving me before they joined me. Zippy was the last to take off.

"Alright, our destination is a town called Little Hollow, on the farther edges of our territory. If we leave now, we'll be there by sundown" Justin said. He took off the the West and we followed suit.

* * *

Just like he said, we reached Little Hollow as the sun began to set. The town was rather large, similar to Berk, but everything is made of stone and bronze-like metal. We landed what looked to be the center of town and, as soon as we did, the townspeople came out and greeted us warmly. Bernice puffed her chest out proudly while Justin rolled his eyes in amusement. Zippy seemed to be uncomfortable with all the attention and I was a little uncomfortable, myself, but not by much.

"Sky Fliers, thank goodness you're here" a man said, with a very strange accent I've never heard before.

"We came as soon as we got your message. Don't worry, we'll put a stop to your raptor troubles, and we won't leave until we do" Justin said, greatly pleasing the crowd.

"Thank you, Sky Fliers. We didn't know how long we would last under these beasts constant raids. They already took all of our meat, last night, and I don't want to know what they'll take, tonight" the man said, looking at the forest worriedly. Justin dismounted Silverbolt and faced the man.

"When will the next raid start?" he asked.

"At night, I believe. Just like the first raid. They'll send out a loud cry that'll alert us to their attack, allowing us to get everyone to safety before they came. But, I fear that won't last" the man replied, actually looking afraid.

"Why does he say that?" I asked Bernice.

"Velociraptors are very intelligent. They'll eventually find ways to break into the houses to get at the people inside unless we stop them" she said. Okay, now I'm worried. Toothless cooned, as if sensing my worry and I pat him, lightly.

"Then, we don't have much time to get ready. It'll be dark soon. Everyone get inside. We'll handle things from here" Justin said, to the crowd. Everyone left for their homes, leaving us by ourselves.

"We better get ready." he said, rummaging through Silverbolt's saddlebag.

"Question: how many raptors will we be dealing with?" I asked.

"Judging from things, I'd say at least twenty, possibly thirty" he replied. I gulped.

"That's a lot of sharp, pointy teeth" I said.

"Don't worry, Justin's a bit of an expert at repelling Velociraptors" Bernice said.

"Really?" I asked.

"You'd be surprised by easily beaten Raptors are. Still, Velociraptors are fast, smart, and they are fearsome opponents. They are the most dangerous raptor species ever recorded. We'll need to be extremely careful" he said, completely serious.

"Have you have faced Velociraptors, before?" I asked, dismounting Toothless.

"Yes, the most recent was when me me and Zippy were sent to hunt down a group of four raptors alongside a small platoon. They tore the entire platoon apart, with me and Zippy being the only survivors" he replied. I was not shocked and spooked. Four of these guys took out a large number of warriors without any casualties of their own? They're _that_ dangerous?

"Thor help me" I muttered.

"Don't worry. I guarantee we won't end up like those warriors. We'll just have to be smarter. Now, we better hide. They'll immediately catch on if they see us" Justin said, reassuringly.

"Do we have a plan, Master Justin?" Zippy asked. Justin smiled and began explaining what we going to do.

* * *

Night fell before long and we were all in our positions. Me and Toothless were hidden in a darkened alley way, ready to pounce. I was rather nervous. I've never faced a Velociraptor before and, from what Justin told me, they are pretty tough, especially in large numbers. However, he did act like they aren't that tough. Guess he's grown used to fighting them or they can be beaten easily with the right strategy. I was brought out of my thoughts when a loud screech-like noised filled the air followed by several more. Toothless growled.

"Sounds like they're coming, Bud" I whispered. I could hear the screeching getter louder, indicating they were getting closer. We tensed up, ready to spring our trap. Suddenly, I heard Silverbolt's screech and I perk up. That's the signal. Without hesitation, we flew to the other alley, stretching a large net Toothless held in his claws, and blocked the road from anything wanting to get in. Several Velociraptors ran into the net and got tangled in it. One stopped and looked at its captured packmates and I got a good look at it.

It was large and looked similar to a Speed Stinger, but was some sort of brown color, had a blockier head, longer arms, sharper teeth and a large sickle-shaped claw on both of its feet.

Toothless growled, causing the Raptor to snap its heard in our direction, its gold colored eyes glaring at us. It charges forward, screeching loudly. Toothless knocks it back with his tail and we jump out into the open just as several Raptors appeared, all looking at us. I looked a bit nervous. Before any of them could attack, a small jar lands in front of them and shattered, unleashing a green cloud that engulfed the Raptors. Once it dissipated, all the Raptors were knocked out. I look up to see Justin and Silverbolt in midair.

"Careful, Hicca! There's more of them than we were expecting! Try to round them up so I can knock them out!" he shouted. I nodded and we took off, as well, as a group of three Raptors came up to where I was. Justin promptly hit them with knockout gas.

"This gas will keep them asleep for a whole day, so don't worry about them waking up" he said. I then heard a scream and we look to see Zippy and Khanya being chased by a large group of Raptors on the ground.

"She needs help!" I exclaimed. We rushed to her without a second thought. Once we reached them, they were surrounded in a area between two buildings. Khanya was trying her best to keep her master safe from the Raptors, but they would soon be overwhelmed. My eyes widen in horror when I spot one managing to sneak past and clamp its teeth onto Zippy's leg and tried to drag her. Justin must've saw it, too, because he jumped off Silverbolt and threw his boomerang. It slammed into the Raptor's face, forcing it to let go. Justin grabbed the boomerang and landed next to Zippy, smacking the Raptors upside the head. Silverbolt landed and knocked the Raptors around like ragdolls. As a group of them was about to pounce, Toothless fired several plasma blasts, stopping them and giving Justin enough time to throw several jars of knockout gas, putting them all to sleep. Toothless landed and swatted three Raptors that were still awake with his tail. I dismounted and rushed over to Justin, who was examining Zippy's wound once he got the spat off. Toothless and Silverbolt kept a lookout for anymore Raptors.

"How is she?" I asked, worried.

"She'll live, but she won't be able to use this leg for a while. The Raptor bit right to the bone" he said. Man, Raptors have a nasty bite. Zippy, however, didn't seem to care and tried to stand up.

"No, I'm still alive! I can still be of use!" she said. Justin pushed her back down, gently.

"Not in this shape, you're not" he said, his tone making it clear there is no room for argument. Zippy didn't seem to have gotten the message, though, as she tried to stand up, again, but Justin kept her down.

"I can still fight! I'm not useless to you!" she said, making me look at her, sadly. Just how cruel were those slave traders to her?

"No, you're not useless, Zippy! But, you need to stay down. I am not planning your funeral after this" Justin said, firmly. Zippy stared at him for a while and, finally, relented. A scream echoed, and Bernice came charging in, smacking a bunch of Raptors along the way, her griffin following close behind.

"Bernice! You alright?" I asked as she came up to us.

"No, I'm not alright. It's dark, cold, and we're up to our armpits in Velociraptors! There must be, at least, 100 of them attacking" she said, sounding like she really doesn't like the situation.

"100? There's never been a Raptor pack anywhere near that size, before. What could caused them all to come together and move beyond their usual territory?" Justin asked, very confused. I turned to Justin, who was bandaging Zippy's leg.

"So, what do we, now?" I asked.

"For now? We zimply keep the Raptors occupied and find out what caused all of this when it's safe for us to leave" he said, finishing up wrapping the badanages and tightening them as best he could, causing Zippy to wince in pain. He stands up and turn to us.

"Okay, Hicca. You and me will keep the Raptors' occupied. Bernice, you stay here and look after Zippy. She's in no shape to move, at the moment" he said. I nodded.

"Under normal circumstances, I'd be horrified at being placed in guard duty, but I'm making an exception here since I've had it with these overgrown geckos!" she shouted. A snort came from behind and we looked to see a none-too-pleased Raptor glaring at her.

"Uh, go Team Raptor…?" she said, nervously, with a sheepish grin. The Raptor roared, but got a face full of tail by Toothless. He grinned smugly at Bernice, which made me giggle at his antics. I'm not sure whose ego is bigger here.

"Right, we better get into the air. We have a long night" Justin said. We mounted our rides and took off. He was right, it was indeed a long night. Bernice's comment about there being 100 Raptors isn't exaggerated. These things were everywhere and never seem to be running out of numbers. Thankfully, the sun eventually started to rise and the Raptors retreated back to the forest. Any Raptors that were caught in the nets or knocked out were rounded up and placed into special pens until they can be relocated. Zippy was sent off to the local healer to have her wound looked at and treated. Once all that was sorted out, we met in the town hall.

"How, in God's name, will we be able to fight off a literal _army_ of murder-happy Velociraptors?" Bernice asked/shouted as she paced around. I was sitting in a chair, watching her. Justin was leaning against a wall, lost in thought. I have to agree with her. We were expecting a pack of 30, not 100. How are we supposed to defeat such a massive number of Raptors if just four of them cane be an overwhelming force?

"I don't know, Bernice, but we will find a way" Justin said. She whirled around to him.

"How? It's three against who-knows-how-many. You know just how dangerous these things can be better than anyone. And that was just four of them. But we're facing a pack of 100-strong. How can we beat that?" she asked, looking utterly defeated. Justin stopped leaning on the wall.

"I didn't say it will be easy, but it can be done. We just we the right strategy" he said. I agreed with him, but what kind of strategy will work on a giant pack of fast, vicious, reptiles? Suddenly, an idea popped into my head.

"I think I have something" I said, standing up. Both were looking at me.

"These Velociraptors are a lot like Speed Stingers, a type of dragon that hunts in packs that will always follow where their alpha goes. What if Velociraptors are the same way?" I asked.

"That could be possible, but we don't don't know which one is the alpha" Justin said. Bernice raised her hand.

"I think I ran into him. He was the only one with plumage and appeared bigger than the others" she said.

"That's a start. We will need to find where they are resting during the day and sneak in so we can kidnap the alpha. And we still need to figure out how and why they came here, in the first place" Justin said.

"A nearby cave, perhaps?" I suggested.

"I remember there being southwest of here. Maye that's where they are" Bernice said.

"Now, all that remains is to investigate the Dense Forests to find out how they got here. Bernice, you do it" he said, the last part towards said girl.

"What? Why me?" she asked, incredulous.

"It's that or possibly get trapped in the Raptors' den. Take your pick" he said.

"Fair enough" she said with a neutral expression.

"So, guess we're going into the Raptors' den?" I asked to Justin. He just flashed me a smile.

* * *

It only took us an hour to arrive at the cave and it was, indeed, the Raptors' den, as there were multiple Raptors guarding the entrance. They constantly scan for any potential threats. We were hidden behind a large boulder to keep out of sight. So far, they don't seem to have noticed us.

"That's a lot of guards" I said.

"Yeah. I say there's a about 12 of them, give or take. We'll need to take them out without drawing any attention from the rest that are inside the cave" Justin said.

"Got any ideas?" I asked. He said nothing. He pulled out a jar of knockout gas, popped the top off, and tossed into the group. The Raptors stared at it in curiosity before they were knocked out by the gas.

"Okay, that should keep them asleep for a while. I suggest we leave Silverbolt and Toothless here. They won't be able to maneuver properly in the cave" he said. Silverbolt and Toothless looked disappointed. I petted Toothless to let him know I'll be okay. We set off into the cave as quietly as possible. As expected, it was full of Velociraptors. Thankfully, they were all sleeping, soundly, and we had no intention of changing that. Justin used his hand to guide me as we trekked through the cavern. We eventually come to a large chamber where a large number of Raptors were sleeping. What caught our attention was a Raptor sleeping on a stone platform. It was bigger and darker than the others with a series of feather-like spines along its head, back, and tail.

"That must be the alpha. But, how are we going to catch him while all these Raptors are here?" I asked. Before he could reply, a loud roar echoed through the cave. It was Toothless that was roaring. We hid behind a stone pillar as they woke up. The Alpha was the last to wake and let out a series of screeches towards his packmates. They all run out to investigate and the Alpha was about to join them. Before he could, Justin tossed his boomerang, slamming onto the side of the Alpha's head. Stunned and surprised, but unharmed, he turned to us and gave us a glare, likely not happy for us intruding in his den. He roared and rushed towards. We ducked out of the way, but the Alpha quickly changed direction towards me and had me pinned on my back. Thanks to Bernice's training, I was able to keep his head away from my face for the most part.

Justin, who had regained his boomerang, came and smacked the Alpha with it, knocking him off of me. The Alpha attempted another lunge, but I brought up my leg and slammed my heel against its face, sending it flying a small distance.

"I really should thank Bernice for her training session" I said. The Alpha got back up and got into a deadlock with Justin, who was closer. He used his boomerang to keep his mouth away, but the Alpha was quite strong in his own right. So, I grab a rock and threw it. It hits the Alpha in the eye, distracting him long enough for Justin to toss him away. The Alpha quick recovered and leapt into the air at Justin. Thinking quickly, he fell onto his back and used his legs to catch and launch the Alpha, but he quickly righted himself and skidded across the ground, his claws send out sparks as they dug into the ground. Justin got back onto his feet.

"He's tough" he said.

"No kidding. How do we beat him?" I asked. Justin's eyes light up.

"I have an idea. Keep him busy" he said. I groan internally as the Alpha glared at me. Before I could react, he closed the distance between and had me pinned again. I was still able to hold him away from my face, but was slowly drawing closer with every moment that passed. Without warning, he sunk his teeth into my shoulder with every ounce of strength he could muster into his bite. I screamed in pain as he started thrashing around, trying to take my arm off. That's when a jar of knockout gas hit the Alpha and he was out cold. Justin rushed over to me and carefully removed him from my shoulder.

"You okay?" he asked. I winced as I clutched my injured shoulder.

"I'll live… I think" I replied with a pained smile. Oh, Koryn's going to have a heart attack when she finds out I'm injured, and likely give me a minor reprimanding, afterwards.

"Well, we got the Alpha, but how are we going to get out of here?" Justin asked. An explosion went off and, a few seconds later, Toothless and Silverbolt rushed in, looking relieved to see us.

"Perfect timing!" Justin exclaimed. He picked up the Alpha and rushed over to Silverbolt. He laid the Alpha at the griffin's feet and mounted Silverbolt. I did the same with Toothless, trying to be careful not to agitate my injury. Once we were ready, we took off-Silverbolt carrying the Alpha in his talons. As we flew over the Raptors, they noticed we had their Alpha and gave chase. We had to weave around several stalactites and Raptor ambushes along the way, which really wasn't helping my injured arm-but we managed to make it outside.

"Alright, we need to lure them to the Dense Forests. Follow me" Justin said and we took off towards the East. The Raptors gave chase and we made sure to keep a speed that allowed them to stay close, but enough to stay ahead of them. I don't know how long we kept this up, but we eventually came up to a rather large stone wall.

"Is that…?" I asked, breathless.

"The Dense Forests. We just need to get these Raptors on the other side and make sure they won't follow us back out" Justin said. Suddenly, Bernice on her Griffin joined us.

"And I know how they got out. There's a large opening in the wall. Come on!" she said and we all flew towards a large crack not far from us and flew through. The Raptors followed us without hesitation. This cave was much straighter and it wasn't long before we came out the other side. Once we placed the Alpha a far enough distance from the opening, we flew over the wall and back to the opening. Bernice promptly pushed a large stone slab over the opening, trapping the Raptors in, for good. We all landed and sighed in relief.

"Well, glad that's over" Justin said.

"You said it" Bernice said, laying against her Griffin, who gave her a annoyed glare.

"Now, you two head to Heaven's Peak fort. I'll head back to town to inform them of the good news and pick up Zippy" Justin said. Without a word, we all took off with me and Bernice heading back to Heaven's Peak while Justin flew to the town.

* * *

The second we got back, I headed to the infirmary to have my wound looked at. The doctor said it wasn't life threatening, but I will have a noticeable scar. If I was like Astrid or the Twins, I'd be excited beyond all reason for it. Though I didn't want it, I think I might show it off once its healed. They put some cream and bandages over it and I was free to go. Koryn found me and, as I suspected, was not happy I got hurt and nearly had a heart attack because of it. I managed to calm her down and we spent the rest of the night together before heading to bed. I was a little excited, as I was hoping something exciting and/or surprising would happen tomorrow.

Little did I know was that my wish would be granted in the most unexpected of ways.

* * *

(THIRD PERSON P.O.V.)

Later that night, on a unknown area of the island, a girl woke up with a jolt, coughing up water from her lungs as she slowly got to her feet. Once she got her bearings, she looked at her surroundings, but didn't recognize anything. Before she could move, a low growl came from behind her. She turned and was face to face with a metallic dragon that glared at her, fiercely. The girl just stood there, unsure what to do.

The dragon roared and lunged at the girl with great speed.

* * *

 **Another chapter completed. And consider that last scene a little info on what is to happen next chapter. Continue to read and review.**


	6. Finding a Sister

**I don't own HTTYD.**

* * *

(HICCA'S P.O.V)

A month has passed since the run-in with the Raptors and things have been rather quiet since. The bite that Raptor gave me healed up and, as the doctor said, I now have a rather visible scar on my left shoulder that went down along my bicep. I had removed my sleeve to let my scar show and now wear a cloth sleeve that stopped just past my elbows. Zippy's also doing much better. She still has to be careful due to her more severe wound, but she'll be fine as long as she's careful, which Justin will make she is. Me and Koryn went on a few more outings and grew closer after each one, which seemed to amuse everyone to know end. I don't get what they think is so funny. It's just two friends hanging out, for Thor's sake. Anyway, once I was well enough, Bernice continued with my training, but didn't use the spinning blades due to Justin threatening to drop her into the nearest Raptor nest if she did. He's surprisingly scary for such a sweet guy.

Anyway, it was early morning. Me and Toothless were laying in the forest after a long flight around the island. We've really gotten into synch since our first time. With how well we coordinate our moves in the air, it's almost as if we had a psychic link. We both also really love to fly as fast as we can, feeling the wind blow into our face during a dive bomb and fly through the winding trees and sea stacks without a care in the world. I'm so glad I left Berk, as I'm sure I'd never experience this amazing life or finally make friends that love me for me. Not to mention a best friend who will stand by me no matter what in Toothless. I pet Toothless's head, which makes him look at me and I flash him a smile. He just went back to sleep. To pass the time, I brought out my new sketchbook. About a week ago, I've been thinking up a weapon to use, but it's still a work in progress, but everyone is willing to help out when I need it.

I don't know how long I've been at it, but some time has passed when I heard a loud rustling. Glancing around, I put away my sketchbook and warily walk around, searching for the source. I eventually found myself in a very small clearing and see nothing out of the ordinary. I was about to leave when someone, literally, dropped in front of me. It was a girl.

She looked to be about my age with a build similar to Astrid's minus the years of training. She had green eyes and long black hair that framed her face with the bangs parted to the right side and was styled into a braid over her left shoulder. She wore a light grey shirt that goes halfway down her arms with a leather vest over it, a hollow horn around her waist, an off-white skirt underneath along with brown pants, wristbands, and boots with roping. All of her clothing had patches, probably from a poor upbringing.

I stare at the girl as she picks herself up off the ground and sees me. She leaps back, startled. Guess she didn't know I was around.

"Oh, sorry. I didn't mean to scare you. You alright?" I asked, a little concerned. Is she another runaway?

"Yeah, I'm alright. Just a little spooked, that's all. Almost everything in this forest has tried to eat me, so far" the girl said. I smile internally. She's very much right on that. I had even run into a few _plants_ that tried to eat me. Freaking _plants_! Does everything on this island have an appetite or something?! I shake those thoughts out. I had more pressing matters, right now.

"My name is Hicca. What's yours?" I asked.

"I'm Heather. Pleased to meet you" the girl-Heather-said with a smile.

"So, Heather, what are you doing on such a remote island?" I asked.

"I could ask you the same thing, but I kind of washed up on this island. Scauldrons sunk the ship I was traveling on" Heather replied. I actually smirked.

"I ended up here under similar circumstances. Except I was in a tiny excuse for a boat and was sunk by a freak storm. Why were you on a ship, anyway?" I asked, curious. She looked a little conflicted on that.

"I'd… rather not talk about that" she said. I nodded. It was obvious rather personal, so I wasn't going to press it.

"So, how long have you been here?" I asked, changing the subject for her sake.

"About a month. I mostly stayed on the beach and this is my first time venturing deep into the forest. Are there any villages around here?" she asked. I try to remember the nearest town. Heaven's Peak fort is rather far and there are a few towns about that we can go to. But, I can't remember where they are.

"There are, but I can't remember where. I have a map back at where I was resting. Come on, I'll lead you there" I said as I was about to walk off. I suddenly heard a twig snap and I immediately got tense while Heather looked panicked.

"What was that?" I asked, glancing around. I really hope it ain't Halftooth, again. I hate that cat ever since he tried to eat me.

"Oh, it was nothing. Probably just some animal" Heather said, rather nervously with a forced smile. She's hiding something. Even I'm not that bad a liar. I turn to her.

"Okay, what are you hiding, Heather?" I asked, sternly. She gulped, knowing she was caught.

"Okay, but please don't freak out, okay?" she pleaded. I just raise an eyebrow in confusion. She made a gesture and, in that moment, a dragon that looked like it was made of metal appeared out of the trees and landed next to Heather. I was amazed. This was a species Berk has never seen before and this girl seems to have managed to train it, to an extent.

"You have a dragon" was all I could said.

"I know, I know;I'm a traitor to everything Vikings stand for! But, please don't hurt her!" she begged as she hugged the dragon's neck. I gave her a small smile. She's definitely formed a close bond with this dragon if she's so quick to defend it from, perceived, danger.

"Hey, it's okay, Heather. I'm not going to your dragon" I said. She looked at me as if I just grew a second head.

"You're not?" she asked, her voice hopeful as she stood up.

"Nope. If I did, then I would be a massive hypocrite" I said. She looked confused before looking surprised. I follow her gaze and spot Toothless coming into view, looking a little curious.

"A Night Fury?! You trained a Night Fury?!" she asked, looking seconds away from having a heart attack. I smiled at her.

"You trained a dragon no one's ever seen, before. I think that's a bit better. So, what's your dragon's name?" I asked.

"Windershear. I named her Windshear. She really seems to like it" Heather replied, calming down rather quickly.

"Pretty fierce name" I said.

"Thanks. What's your dragon's name?" she asked.

"Toothless" I said, simply. Her reaction was what I was expecting.

"Yes, I named the Unholy Offspring of Light and Death Itself Toothless" I added, answering her unspoken question. I pulled the map out of Toothless's saddle bag, even as he curiously sniffed an uncomfortable Heather.

"Ah, the closest town from here is Gallow. We can easily walk there, if you like" I offered. Heather glanced at me, still wary of Toothless, and nodded with a nervous smile. Toothless backs away and comes to my side. We all set out for Gallow. I kept an eye for anything dangerous. Justin had said this area is Halftooth's usual hunting grounds and I do not want to meet him, again. Heather stayed close, somewhat worried with Windshear following close behind her. It didn't take too long for us to reach Gallow, a fairly decent-sized town. We quickly to a nearby tavern, ignoring the curious looks we got. We sat down at a table near the entrance. Silence filled the next few minutes as we waited for a waiter to come to us.

"I really need to thank you, Hicca. You've been awfully nice to me, even though we just met" she said. I smile.

"I don't mean to pry, but why are you out all by yourself?" I asked. I'm growing more and more curious about it, for some strange reason. I feel like I know this girl, but I've never met her in my life. She sighs.

"Searching for my birth family. You see, when I was a month old, I was taken from them and was eventually found by a couple, who raised me like their own daughter" she said, but paused as she gripped her horn.

"My adopted father said this horn was all I had with me when they found me. So, when I turned 15, I gathered up whatever supplies I had and boarded the first boat off to another island, to see if anyone would recognize me or my horn. So far, no one knew anything about it and I'm actually starting to wonder if my birth parents love me" she continued, looking very sad. I felt a sudden instinct to comfort, yet I don't know why. So, I grip her hand, making her look at me with confusion.

"I'm sure they do, Heather" I said with a gentle smile. Heather smiled back and I suddenly got an idea.

"Hey, why don't we look around the island. There could someone who knows you or could point us in the right direction" I suggested. She thought it over for a while.

"It's worth a shot" she eventually said. With that in mind, we got something to eat and left. First, we spoke to everyone in Gallow before moving onto the next town. We kept this up and everyone didn't know anything about Heather or her horn. I did my best to comfort her after each town, as she doesn't make any attempt at hiding her sadness from me and I always feel the need to be a source of comfort for her, yet I don't know why. I don't know how long we searched, but it was getting rather close to sunset when we finished. We were on a beach with Heather sitting close to the water, hugging her knees against her chest with a defeated expression on her face. I sat next to her, concerned, while Toothless and Windshear laid underneath a shady tree.

"We searched the entire island and no one had a clue to finding my birth family. Not a single person recognized me or my horn. I'm starting to think I'll never find my birth family" she said, very much close to giving up. I just kept my hand on her shoulder, as I think it's the only thing I can do.

"Not only that, I'm still wondering if they love me. I mean, why would I be so far from them at a month old?" she asked to herself.

"Taken in a Dragon raid, perhaps? It's happened from time to time" I suggested.

"Maybe, but most dragons don't sneak inside of houses unless there's something they want very badly inside and most dragons aren't into kidnapping babies" Heather countered. She's got a point. She sighs.

"Thank you, Hicca. You've been a great friend to me through all this time" she sad with a weak smile. I smile back. I have been a good friend to her, haven't I? Before either of us could say anything else, I glance at Heather's horn and caught a familiar sight. What a minute.

"Hey, Heather, could I see your horn for a moment?" I asked. Confused and a little reluctant, she gave me her horn and I took a long look at its side and gasped. Is that…?

"What is it, Hicca?" Heather asked, curious.

"Heather, did you know there was a seal on your horn?" I asked, breathless.

"Yes, and I've been asking if anyone ever saw that seal before. No one recognized it" she replied.

"I do" I said, surprising Heather.

"What?" was all she said, looking hopeful and shocked.

"This is my father's chief seal. I only know of him carving this seal onto a horn, once" I said, staring at Heather. Could she really be who I think she is?

"Really?" she asked. She was looking excited and I can't blame her. She's finally got a lead on finding her birth family.

"Yes. He once told me he carved this seal on two horns and gave them to his two daughters. One was given to me, but the other daughter went missing… a month… after she was born" I finished, the full realization crashing down on me like a Gronckle. Heather must've realized it, too, as her eyes went to the size of dinner plates.

"Then, that means we're…" she said, but stopped, as if afraid to finish it.

"Sisters" we said in sync. We nearly collapsed from the shock. Heather's my long lost sister!? Stoick said she was kidnapped by a dragon when we only a month old! I never thought I'd see her, again. Yet, here she is, right in front of me, after so many years. Once the shock wore off, we did what any long lost siblings would do: we hugged each other as hard as we could and Heather caught me off guard with how strong hers was. Guess Heather inherited our dad's warrior prowess instead of me. At least he had someone who could take over as chief for him and not make him angry 24/7.

"I can't believe it! I have a sister!" she exclaimed, sounding like she was about to cry. I can't blame her. I feel like crying, myself. We didn't let go for a while, but we eventually did and boy were our eyes red from all our crying.

"This feels like a dream come true" she said, wiping her eyes.

"Yeah. I never thought I'd meet my sister after being separated for 15 years" I said.

"Is our parents somewhere on this island, too?" she asked, curiously. Now, I was a little uncomfortable.

"It's a little complicated" was all I said, nervously. I explained everything to her-mom's disappearance, dad's tough rule over me, the tribe's treatment of me, and anything I felt like she needed to know. By the time I finished, she was a little shocked.

"Wow, that's a rather hard life" she said.

"Yeah. I left because I was useless to them and, in the process, found real friends, a place to actually call home, and even reunite with my sister, since then" I listed off, smiling just how much better my life was, now.

"So, where do we go from here?" she asked. An idea instantly popped into my mind.

"You can come live with me at Heaven's Peak fortress and become a Sky Flier" I said, surprising Heather.

"Really? Will they accept me?" she asked.

"They accepted me and I'm sure they'll let you join, no problem. Everyone there is very friendly" I said. By this point, Windshear had woken up and joined Heather, nuzzling her, much to her amusing. She looks me square in the eyes, a moment later.

"Okay. I will" she said. I beamed and, so, we mounted our dragons and I lead Heather to Heaven's Peak, where she is in awe of the forts monumental size, much like I was when I first came here. We land as Justin was walking about, writing in a journal in his hands. He quickly spots us, as we land.

"Ah, Hicca. There you are. I was getting a little worried when you didn't come back. What happened?" he asked.

"It's a bit of story, Justin" I said, dismounting. He finally notices Heather, who shyly waves with a nervous smile. Before he could speak, another voice rang out.

"YOU!" we all turn to see a very upset Bernice stomping towards. More specifically, towards me. I stare at her, then at Justin, who didn't seem surprised.

"Oh, yeah, Bernice doesn't like it when people don't show up to her training sessions without a good reason. Combine that with her short fuse and you have a very scary drill instructor" he said. I look at him. Why didn't he tell me, earlier?! I find it hard to believe he'd forget something like that. Bernice stomps right up to me and glares me straight in the eyes.

"You _better_ have a good reason why you skipped training, today, Hicca Haddock. Otherwise, I'm going to turn you into a Human pretzel" she said in a very threatening tone, making me gulp. I barely noticed Heather, still on Windshear, coming up to my side, glaring at Bernice.

"Leave my sister alone" she said in a surprisingly calm voice.

"SISTER?!" Bernice and Justin shouted at the same time, absolutely flabbergasted. I giggled at their expressions and so did Heather. Justin was able to recover, though.

"It seems you have some explaining to do, Hicca" he said. I nodded. We all head to Daemun's office while I explained everything. He was surprised, yes, but he quickly accepted my explanation. I explained things to Daemun, as well, and he agreed to let Heather join and we going to bunk with Bernice, much to her surprise and mild annoyance. We all left the building without another word.

"Well, that's one more Sky Flier addition. Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm heading to bed. See you, tomorrow" Justin said, leaving the group.

"We better do the same. Who knows what we'll be facing tomorrow" I said. As I was about to leave, Bernice stopped by placing a hand on my shoulder.

"Not so fast, Haddock. You missed training, so that means you'll have to make it up to me by training. All. Night" she said with an evil smile. I was now fearing for my life. Heather, meanwhile, giggled and I shot her a pleading look, but she just smiled at me, finding this whole thing funny.

"Sorry, sis, but this is your responsibility. It's not my fault you missed your training" she said, her smile going from sweet to smug in an instant, making stare at her with disbelief. Oh, now she's going to act all villainous and leave her sister behind, eh? I'll remember that, Heather.

"Come on, Hicca. Training time!" Bernice said in a sing-song voice, dragging me to the arena. Heather, Toothless, and Windshear followed us, all amused at my misfortune. I glare at them.

"Not funny, guys" I growled, only serving to make them smile wider. Once we got to the arena, Bernice trained me even harder than normal, never once letting up on yelling at me when an angry Nightmare. I'm pretty sure I lost all feeling in my limbs once she called it a day and Heather had to help me get back to my room, laughing all the way. I was too tired to even sigh. But, at least, I have my sister to stay by my side, even if she'll be cheeky about it, sometimes.

* * *

 **Another chapter in, and I'm quite proud of this one. And, yes, I know Heather is actually Dagur's sister, but I had this idea in my head since the revelation so long ago after reading a story about if Heather was, indeed, Hiccup's sister.**

 **And to my most dedicated reader, Mariah, I appreciate your continued support and I always look forward to what you have to say. So, feel free to get more creative and bold with your suggestions if you have any. I'm eager to hear them.**

 **Until next time.**


	7. New Couple

(THIRD PERSON P.O.V.)

It has been several months since Hicca and Heather reunited and discovered they're sisters. In that time, the two have bonded to make up for lost time. Toothless and Windshear got along easily along with the Griffins, barring a few slip ups. Hicca continued training with Bernice, who has cooled off from skipping out that one day, and was steadily becoming more adept at combat and stronger, which still excites her to no end after living her whole life thinking she was a weakling. It was fairly quiet on the island, with only the occasional wild animal wandering into a town happening. Everyone was content, save for one person.

Koryn was in her house, sewing like no tomorrow, early in the morning. Her whole mind was focused on her task, and it was hard to snap her out of it. She was so focused, she didn't notice Regina leaning against the doorway until she knocked on the wood very loudly, which actually snapped Koryn out of her trance.

"Ah, Regina! What are you doing here?!" she demanded, blushing madly. Regina didn't answer, but she stood up and stared at her.

"You got something on your mind?" she asked.

"W-what makes you think that?" Koryn asked back, nervous.

"You were stress sewing, again… It's Hicca, isn't it?" Regina asked, knowing, with a big smirk. Koryn yelped as her face became as red as a tomato, which was all Regina needed to know she was right.

"I knew it, you're totally into her!" she exclaimed. Koryn blushed even more heavily.

"That's not exactly news, Regina. I've felt this way for her for a long time. But… I'm worried" she said, sadly. Regina was confused yet concerned.

"About what?" She asked.

"That Hicca… doesn't like girls, romantically. I mean, she didn't even know what homosexuality and bisexuality were before coming here. I'm afraid that if Ii confess, she'll reject me and even insult me! It'll be my hometown all over again! I can't go through that a second time!" Koryn explained, becoming more panicked and fearful as she went on until she was about to have a full-blown mental breakdown. She slid down the side of her wall, holding her head in her hands. Regina remained silent through the hole thing, quickly processing what Koryn was saying. As a Lesbian, Regina has faced her fair share of prejudice and hate from people, but she had eventually learned to ignore and block out those comments, but she forgot Koryn didn't do the same. So, she went to sit next to a, currently hyperventilating, Koryn and wrapped an arm around her shoulders in comfort.

"Hey, I get where you're coming from. Being gay or bi isn't easy when everyone sees it as a sin. But, I can assure you, Hicca is not one of those people" she said, causing Koryn look at her in confusion.

"How can you be so sure?" she asked, shyly. Regina smirked.

"As a proud Lesbian, I can spot gay and bisexual people a mile away. I have noticed, over time, Hicca was slowly starting to switch teams, especially with you" Regina replied.

"Wait, are you saying that Hicca… likes me?" Koryn asked, her voice hopeful. Regina nodded her head in confirmation. Koryn smiled brightly.

"Then, I have a chance!... Right, I need to finally confess, once and for all" she said, confidently, as she stood up. Regina stood up, as well, chuckling at Koryn's usual antics.

"That's the Koryn I know" she said, slapping her on the back. With that, the two left the house, intent on finding Hicca.

* * *

(HICCA'S P.O.V.)

"Oh, for Thor's sake!" I exclaimed. Me and Heather have been playing this strange card game called War for an hour and, so far, I've been losing every time to Heather. I haven't won a single game against her and even came close to doing so. I'm starting to think Loki has cursed me or something. I slam my head on the table after losing yet another round while Heather giggled.

"That brings my score up to thirty wins in a row. Care to go again?" she asked, smirking. I groaned. Why is my sister so lucky?

"Hicca"a familiar voice called. I pick my head up and spot Koryn and Regina walking towards us. Koryn looked awfully nervous about something. I smiled at her, nonetheless.

"What's up, Koryn?" I asked, warmly. Surprisingly, she blushed.

'Oh, not much. I'm just wondering if you'd like to accompany me to a town called Sewer's Den. Just the two of us. Alone" Koryn explained. Huh, Ii never heard of this town, but judging from the name, it must be full of sewing-related trades.

"I'd be happy too. Does in an hour sound good?" I asked.

"Yes, it does" Koryn replied, seemingly in a minor trance for some reason. Regina elbows her in the side, snapping Koryn out of her trance.

"Oh, well, I better get ready. See you" she said, somewhat shyly, as the two left. I turn to Heather.

"What's up with her?" Ii asked. She simply shrugs.

* * *

(THIRD PERSON P.O.V.)

"Stupid, stupid, stupid" Koryn muttered as she banged her head against a wall. Regina watched her, not sure whether to be amused or saddened by the sight.

"What's with her?" Justin asked as he came up next to Regina.

"She finally found the courage to, sort of, ask Hicca out and seems rather displeased with it, for some reason" Regina replied.

"Really? I figured she'd be ecstatic. I know I would" Justin mused.

"You have no interest in romance" Regina said, flatly.

"True, but beside the point" Justin said. Koryn turned to them.

"It's the way I spoke to her. I wanted to be cool and confident when talking to her. But, I wasn't and I could barely keep myself from stuttering and I was caught staring into her gorgeous, green eyes" she bemoaned before slamming her head back onto the wall with a loud groan.

"You were talking to your crush, Koryn. That's bound to happen. You should've seen my sister, Darcie, when she first met her husband. She could barely form two sentences around him- _especially_ when he kissed her. She turned into a blubbering mess" Justin said. Regina giggled, remembering that time as she was there. Then, she remembered something else.

"Wait, weren't we mistaken for a couple by your crazy uncle? She asked.

"Yes, but I was rather amused and unsurprised" Justin replied. Suddenly, Koryn came up and grabbed Justin by the shoulders.

"Look, I love Hicca. She's the first person to make me feel this way and I want to call her my girlfriend, after this. But, I need help and you give amazing advice. What do I do to confess?" she asked, on the verge of panicking.

"That's not easy. Everyone is different, Koryn. What I can offer you is that when you do confess, speak from your heart" he said with a gentle smile. Koryn sighed heavily, but nodded.

"Now, come on. You have a date to get ready for" Regina said, leading Koryn away from Justin, who left to give the two girls some privacy.

* * *

(HICCA'S P.O.V)

It's been an hour and me and Toothless were waiting in the central courtyard for Koryn to come. I spent the time adjusting Toothless's saddle. Ever since I first developed it, I've been improving upon it and currently working on giving it a means for Toothless to fly on his own by locking the tail fin in place. Granted, he won't be able to pull off any fancy moves, but it could help if we're in a bind. Toothless stares behind me and I follow his gaze. Koryn was briskly walking towards me, her head down for some reason, but I'm sure she's just nervous about riding Toothless again. She stops just a foot from me and I smile.

"You ready?" I asked.

"As I'll ever be" she replied, blushing heavily. With that, we mount Toothless and head towards Sewer's Den. We arrive at around noon and landed in the center of town. Things were fairly quiet as there weren't a lot of people around. We slid off Toothless and Koryn takes the lead.

"This way" she said, leading me towards a specific shop.

* * *

(THIRD PERSON P.O.V.)

Justin was sitting cross legged on a large rock polishing his boomerang, without a care in the world. He spots Heather coming up to him.

"Hey, Justin, I'd like to ask you something" she said. This immediately grabbed his attention.

"Sure. What is it?" he asked.

"Is there something between Hicca and Koryn?" she asked, catching Justin by surprise, but he quickly regained his composure.

"Why do ask?" He asked, genuinely curious as to why she's bringing this up, now.

"Well, I've noticed the strange way Koryn's been acting around Hicca. It's almost as if she has a crush on my sister" Heather said, not quite wrapping her head around it.

"Well, here's the thing: she _does_ have a crush on Hicca" Justin said, a hint of hesitation in his voice as he doesn't know how Heather will react. Heather stares at Justin as if he just sprouted dragon wings.

"WHAT?!" she shouted, utterly flabbergasted by this.

"Koryn is, what we call, bisexual. She can and will have romantic feelings for both boys and girls. And it appears Hicca is one, as well, not that she seems to know" Justin explained. Heather looked even more confused but not disgusted, which brought some small hope to him.

"And you're okay with this?" she asked, curiously.

"Yes, we are. But, are you?" he asked, causing Heather to take a step back. There was a certain steel in his voice that promised misery if she answered wrong. So, she thought long and hard on the answer, while Justin patiently waited. He knew this wasn't some simple question and needed time to properly answer. Finally, she answered.

"You know what? No, I don't. I should, as this isn't exactly natural, but I don't have a problem. Just don't expect me to kiss another girl. Got it?" Heather asked, pointing a finger at Justin.

"Got it. That's more of a personal choice, anyway. Now, is there anything else you'd like to ask?" Justin asked. Heather shook her head and left. Just went back to polishing his boomerang.

* * *

(HICCA'S P.O.V.)

For, at least, two hours, Koryn browsed through several shops while I tagged along and helped however I could, which mostly included offering advice and/or opinions on specific fabrics and garments and helping her carry everything. However, I keep noticing her staring at me when she thinks I'm not looking or blushing every time our hands touch each other. It's weirding me out, slightly. I was also worried and curious as to why she's acting like this. Eventually, after drop all of the bags with Toothless, she leads me to a rather private spot and that's when I think it's time to get some answers. So, I get in front of her, much to her surprise.

"Okay, Koryn. You've been acting strange ever since you asked me to come with you. What's wrong?" I asked, as gently as I could.

"Oh, nothing's wrong, Hicca. But… there's something I want to tell you…" she replied, the last part somewhat hesitantly. I take a step back to give her some space and I swore I heard her whisper "speak from the heart", but didn't comment.

"Hicca, we've known each other for almost a year, I think. In that time, we've bonded and become very close friends. But, for me, you're more important to me than just a good friend. I admire so much about you. You're kind, brave, tough, beautiful, and overall a great friend to everyone here" she said, her face turning into the skin of a Nightmare as she went on. However, one word caught my attention.

"Wait, did you just call me beautiful?" I asked, surprised. She nodded.

"Yes. You see, the truth is that I… I… I love you!" she exclaimed, burying her face in her hands as I stare at her shock. Did she really say she loves me? As in _romantically_?! As I try to process this, something in me stirs, as well. Before I knew it, my own face was red and my heart was going 100 mph. Was I… excited? Excited that Koryn confessed to me. That's when the realization hit me like a Night Fury's plasma blast.

I love her. Just like how she loves me. How didn't I notice sooner? Now, all those strange smirks everyone gave me make sense. They knew of our budding feelings and were happy for it. I suddenly remember the blushing girl in front of me. I remove her hands, causing her to stare at me with worry and nervousness, wondering how I'll react. With a gentle smile, I cup her face and lock my lips on hers. She's surprised, at first, but eventually melts into the kiss with passion. We didn't wrestle to see who's dominant, but instead simply enjoy it and poured al of our emotions into it.

I don't know how long we stayed like that, but when we finally parted, we were panting hard. We stared into each other's eyes, seeing the wonder and love in them. I never felt so light in my entire life.

"That was…. Wow!" she exclaims, completing unable to believe what just happened.

"I know. That was amazing. I'm also surprised my first love is a girl" I said, making her blush, again. The word "girlfriend" sent a happy feeling through my entire body. I never loved anyone like this, before. I've had crushes, yes, but none of them compare the this feeling. Koryn grabs and holds my hands in hers, smiling brightly.

"Back home, I always kept my preference for both sexes a secret in fear of being persecuted and shunned by even my own family. I was so scared you'd be like them, but I'm so glad you aren't. I love you" she said, on the verge of tears.

"I love you, too" I said back, the words seeming to come naturally. With a laugh, Koryn hugged me with vigor and we share another kiss that was just as amazing as the last one. When we parted we press our foreheads against each other. We stayed like this until it got late and we headed back to Heaven's Peak Fortress, where Justin, Heather, Regina, and Bernice were waiting. I helped Koryn off Toothless like a gentleman would.

"I take it everything went well?" Justin asked. We lance at each other before holding hands.

"Yes, it did" I replied. To my surprise, Bernice and Regina hugged each other, tears flowing from their eyes like no tomorrow.

"Nothing makes me cry like true love!" Regina exclaimed between sobs.

"I couldn't agree more" Bernice said, seeming to be crying even more than Regina. Justin shook his head, amused at their antics. Heather looked a little uncomfortable about all of this, but was remaining civil. Looks like everyone was okay with this. Justin clapped his hands, gaining our attention.

"Well, as much as this sight pleases me, it's getting late and we should get some sleep. See you all tomorrow" he said and we all split up. I give Koryn a kiss on the cheek before following Regina to our room, the happiest I've ever been in all my life.

* * *

 **Hicca and Koryn are now officially together, everyone! I have a few future ideas for this couple in mind that I'm eager to use. I know some of you prefer Hiccstrid and I can't blame you. They're the official canon couple. Feel free to send my your own ideas for this couple, if you want to.**

 **And I'd love to hear your ideas, Mariah. Please share them!**


	8. Astrid

(HICCA'S P.O.V)

I groan in pain. I had just suffered another one of Bernice's training sessions. As usual, my entire body feels like jelly. At least, I can be strong after all is said and done. Thankfully, my girlfriend Koryn was nice enough to give me a back massage to help ease the pain. Girlfriend… It's been over a week since our first kiss and that one word still fills me with joy. I'd never thought I'd get a date, period, back on Berk. But, now, I have a loving girlfriend in Koryn and we still feel that same jolt we felt when we first hooked up. Heather is, slowly, adjusting to this, but seems to get along with Koryn, well enough. Everyone else is really happy for us. Regina spent the entire crying over how overjoyed she is, which was pretty amusing to watch. Justin, the ever level-headed guy that he is, offered his sincerest congratulations for us. Bernice turned out to be a hopeless romantic and wouldn't stop talking about it. She's back to her old slave-driving self, though. Yay for me.

I let out a moan as Koryn worked her fingers into the skin of my bare back. She talked me into taking off my shirt and bindings.

"She seems to be enjoying this" Heather commented from the chair she was sitting in. We were in Koryn's house, simply enjoying each other's company. It was only the three of us, so I'm not all that embarrassed about being topless. It also helps that my muscles are slowly getting bigger and more noticeable. Spartans must be buff if they go through the kind of training Bernice puts me through. I'm also coming along on my sword design, which Regina is happy to help with when it comes time to make it.

"I've been told I was a master at giving heavenly messages. I wouldn't know since I can't exactly give myself a message" Koryn said.

"I can vouch for your talent, Koryn" I said, even though my mind is foggy from all the bliss.

"Oh, you're just saying that because I'm your girlfriend" she said, teasingly. Heather rolls her eyes with an amused smile.

"Unusual as it is, you two are cute together" she said, shaking her head.

"Unusual?" I asked, my mind more clear now that Koryn stopped.

"Yes. After all, how many women can say that have a girlfriend instead of a boyfriend?" she asked.

"Heaven's Peak isn't like most places, Heather. So, you might want to get used to it" Koryn said.

"I am, kind of. But, this sort of thing wasn't exactly heard of on the island I grew up" Heather said.

"My hometown _burned_ anything they even _thought_ was "impure" at a stake" Koryn said with a deadpan expression. Heather stared at her, understandably creeped out.

"At least we'll have that behind us, now" I said, hoping to keep things from getting dark.

"Yeah… Justin says I shouldn't let the past influence the present" Koryn said, agreeing with me. But, she did make me think of something.

"You know, as much as I was shunned at Berk, I still wonder how things are doing over there" I mused.

* * *

(THIRD PERSON P.O.V.)

Astrid Hofferson was in the forest, practicing with her axe, but much harder than usual. Ever since Hicca went missing some time ago, things weren't the same for Astrid and Stoick. He was forced to name Snotlout as his heir, which was somehow able to inflate his ego even more and make him even more annoyance than ever. He constantly asked Astrid to marry im, which resulted in either a death glare or punch to the gut, yet he still keeps coming back. Stoick, himself, has been rather reclusive, but still went about on his duties as chief, even if some people can see he'd rather just sit in his house, mourning. As for Astrid, she regrets ever treating Hicca the way she did. While she won't openly admit it, she was quite fond of the Haddock girl, like a sister, and thought that by being aloof towards her, it would help her grow up to be a great chief, herself. But, it's clear all that did was convince her that Astrid didn't care in the slightest.

The others had varying reactions. Snotlout was overjoyed his stick of a cousin is out of the picture and that was now chief. The twins didn't care in the slightest. Fishlegs missed his favorite reading partner. As for Gobber, he really missed the closest he ever had to an actual daughter and assistant in the forge. The rest of the village were glad Hicca wasn't around to cause disaster, but were respectful enough to not say this in front of the chief, since she was still his daughter, even if she wasn't an ideal viking. However, every comment Astrid heard any made her angrier at herself for being such a jerk to Hicca, to begin. Perhaps if she was kinder, then she would've stayed. She just hopes where Hicca is, she's happy. An explosion snapped Astrid out of her thoughts. She turned to see a cloud of smoke coming from Berk. Sighing in annoyance, she rushed towards the village at full speed, being careful not to trip. She arrived at the village square, where a smoking Snotlout stood with the twins and Fishlegs stood nearby. The rest of the village, having gotten sued to this, went on with their business.

"Snotlout, what did you do?" she asked, already regretting asking that.

"He messed with a barrel full of some rather explosive stuff" Ruffnut replied, earning a silent thank you from Astrid, since she didn't have to hear Snotlout's annoying voice. Yet.

"He should've known this would happen. Even Snotlout's not _that_ stupid" Fishlegs commented.

"Hey, it wasn't exactly labeled, Fish-face" Snotlout complained, glaring at the portly viking, who whimpered and backed away.

"You're an idiot, Snotlout" Astrid said, the insult flying from her lips almost instinctively. Snotlout gained a goofy smile, which meant only one thing: he was going to flirt with her. _Again_.

"But, I can be _your_ idiot, babe" he said, trying to sound suave as he strolled up to the shield maiden.

"You do realize I'm still holding my axe, right?" she asked, holding up said weapon, with a raised eyebrow. Snotlout wisely backed off. Ever since Hicca left, Astrid's become more volatile and easier to anger than usual, and even Snotlout knew better to rile up Astrid.

"Hey, at least Hicca 'the Useless' Haddock ain't here to make an even bigger mess by being-" his comment was cut off when he found the head of Astrid's axe pressed against his throat and sending him the fiercest glare he's ever seen.

"Finish that sentence, Snotlout. I dare you. Finish. That. Sentence" she growled menacingly. Snotlout gulped, knowing she was serious.

"Wow, Astrid. With the way you're acting, it's almost as if you love or something" Tuffnut said. The twins then started to burst out laughing at the thought.

"Oh, please. Two girls loving each other, like that? Who in their right mind would do that" Ruffnut said.

"I know, right? It's absolutely insane. And coming from us, that's saying something" Tuffnut said. Astrid paid no attention and simply left without another word. As she walked briskly away from the square, she actually mulled over Tuffnut's words. He was right, surprisingly. Two girls in a romantic relationship sounds like something an insane person would do. It was unnatural. But, she can't help but see Hicca as a little sister. Now, she wishes she actually bonded with the Haddock girl instead of treating like the scum of the Earth. She sighed, really hating herself, right now.

"Trader Johann is here!" Bucket's excited scream echoed through the whole village. Almost robotically, she made her way to the docks just in time for Johann's ship to dock.

"Ah, Berk! My favorite place to visit!" the every jovial trader exclaimed as he lowered the gangplank. Everyone stormed aboard and browsed through his always vast assortment of goods from places unknown. Astrid lazily did so, not really interested in anything on board. She was about to leave when she heard the chief's voice.

"Greetings, Johann" Stoick's booming voice rang in her ears. She discreetly headed over to where the two were and listened.

"Ah, Stoick! You're doing quite well, despite certain events. My sincerest apologies for the disappearance of your daughter" Johann said, his face apologetic.

"You have nothing to apologize for, Johann. But, out of curiosity, have you heard anything of her while sailing to the other islands?" Stoick asked.

"Unfortunately, no. A pity. She was such a bright girl. So ahead of her time" Johann said.

' _He's right…_ ' Hicca was a brilliant inventor, even if she was a little clumsy with the execution of her contraptions. She was also quite the master in the forge. She remembers just how strong her axe became after she let Hicca fix it up. Yet another reason to feel guilty for Astrid to add to the list. If everyone listened and gave her a chance, perhaps she could've really improved everything.

"But, I assure you, if I find _any_ information on her, you will be the first to know" Johann promised.

"I'd appreciate that, Johann" Stoick said and left the ship. Astrid did her best not to be spotted by the large viking.

"You can come out, now, Miss Astrid" Johann said with a good chuckle. Surprised by how easily she was found out, she got up and joined Johann.

"What gave me away?" she asked.

"I'm a very observant man, my dear. Speaking of which, you seem down, as well. Is this about the disappearance of Hicca?" he asked. Astrid sighed.

"Yeah. Ever since she left, I'd felt nothing but guilt over the way I treated her. I'm actually wishing I could start over with her" she explained, sitting on a crate.

"Ah, I understand. Even I had made mistakes that I wish I could go back and correct. But, dwelling on such things is never a good idea. All it does is eat you like a group of Dragons eats a pile of fish" Johann went on, nearly making Astrid sick in the process.

"You seem to be taking this quite hard. Is it possible you had some hidden kinship with Hicca?" Johann asked, stroking his beard. Man, he wasn't kidding when he said he was observant.

"I guess, in a way, I viewed Hicca as the sister I never had. That's why I was so tough on her, to try to make her into a proper viking. But, all that did was lead her to believe I'm just as big as a jerk as everyone else was to her. Possibly even more so" Astrid let out a groan, again realizing just how much she screwed up.

"Ah, I understand. It's no wonder you feel so guilty. Fortunately, it's never too late to apologize for such deed" Johann said. Astrid stood up, looking at Johann as if he was crazy.

"How? We have no idea where she is or if she's even alive. And she would likely never speak to me, again, even if we did know. How do you expect me to earn Hicca's forgiveness after all I put her through?" she demanded.

"I never said it would easy, but my experience tells me that it's better to try to apologize and, even if it doesn't work, at least you know you gave it your all" Johann said.

"I highly doubt she'll come within 100 feet of Berk, ever again" Astrid sighed.

"True, but I never said she had to return to Berk in order to make amends" Johann added. Astrid immediately understood what he meant.

'You mean… leave Berk? Johann, I can't do that! The village needs ever warrior it has to defend it from the Dragons and any tribes that want to conquer us!' she exclaimed.

"Very valid points. Fortunately, you won't have to. As I said to Stoick, I'll be sure to keep my eyes and ears open for any sign of Hicca. You have my word as a trader" Johann said, placing a hand over his heart. Astrid accepted his promise and left, wondering she should do, now. As she walked through the village, she passed by the forge. She stopped as she saw Gobber hammering away at a rather familiar axe. She entered the forge without startling Gobber. As he worked, he spotted Astrid staring at the axe.

"Ah, Astrid! What brings you here, lass?" he asked, stopping his hammering.

"Oh, just wondering what you're working on. That axe looks familiar, somehow" she answered, staring at the unfinished axe.

"Ah, this is an axe that Hicca's been working on. For you" Gobber revealed. Astrid's eyes went wide.

"For _me_?!" she asked, flabbergasted.

"Aye. She thought it would finally earn your approval. I never seen her work so committedly on a weapon. She spent the first few _months_ looking for the right materials to make it stronger than the one you're using, already! Sadly, she didn't have the willpower to stay long enough to finish it" Gobber explained.

"Then, why are _you_ working on it?" she asked, confused.

"Oh, you know, I didn't want the lass's work be for nothing, so I thought I'd finish it for her. As a bit of a thank you for being such a good apprentice" he replied. Astrid was touched. Hicca was actually going out of her way to make her an axe? Now, she feels even more guilty that she brushed aside the girl the looked up to her and wanted to impress her. Earn her respect and friendship. If she had been nicer, perhaps would she have a new friend/surrogate sister and a one-of-a-kind-

' _Wait, that's it!_ ' A crazy idea entered Astrid's mind. She looked at the blacksmith.

"Gobber, I want to finish the axe. Myself" she said, with the utmost conviction. Gobber stared at her for a moment, then burst out laughing. He probably thought she was joking with him. She remained firm and waited for him to finish. His laughter slowly died down as he saw Astrid, most certainly, wasn't kidding.

"You're serious! Astrid, no offense, but you absolutely nothing about forging a weapon" he said, bluntly.

"I maintain my axe and keep it from breaking" she countered.

"Yes, but replacing the wrappings, patching minor cracks, and keeping it shiny aren't the same as blacksmithing. And you always let me or Hicca handle the more serious damages to it" Gobber said. He honestly didn't know what Astrid was thinking that she thought she could easily work a forge like she could swing her axe. Even so, he can't help but admire her commitment to this decision.

"If someone as physically lacking as Hicca could learn, then so can I" Astrid said, not backing down.

"She's had years of training under her belt, lass. You don't" he said.

"I can still learn. Rigorous training is normal for me" she countered, again.

'What brought this on, anyway, lass? You've never had an interest in blacksmithing, before" he said, genuinely curious. Astrid went silent, clenching her hands into fists.

"I want to make amends to Hicca. To atone for treating so badly" she said. Gobber's eyes went wide, immediately understanding what she meant.

"Ah, so you _did_ have a soft spot for her, after all!" he exclaimed, feeling triumphant despite the situation.

"Yes, and if we ever find her, I want her know I'm sorry. What better way to do that than to complete a project that she had, once, poured her soul into?" she asked rhetorically. He can't argue with that logic.

"I won't go easy on you. You're not as fragile as Hicca" Gobber warned. If he was going to train her as a blacksmith, he wanted to be sure she's 100% behind her decision.

"I wouldn't want you to, even if I was. As I said, I enjoy rigorous training regiments" she said. He nodded.

"Welp, seeing that you won't take no for an answer, I could take you on as an apprentice. What do you say?" he asked.

"When do we start?" she asked. She didn't care if took her a 100 years to reach Hicca's level. She will master blacksmithing and complete Hicca's axe. One way or another.

* * *

 **This chapter is based off of one of Mariah's suggestions and I hope to use more of them in the future. Until then, keep sending in suggestions. I'll be taking them until the end of the story... whenever that is.**

 **And I'm thinking/hoping to add in a major antagonist at this point. I'd be happy to get suggestions for that, as well. Especially you Mariah. But, she only has so many, so I'm accepting any suggestions. I don't care if the antagonist is an OC or one of the actual villains, either.**


	9. A Broken Bond: Part 1

(THIRD PERSON P.O.V.)

It was early morning over Heaven's Peak and most of the residents were either still asleep or just now waking up. No one noticed the silver-colored falcon flying over the island towards a central village on the island, flying as fast as its wings will take it, as if it was on a mission. It eventually came up to a fairly large house, obviously exhausted and landed on the window sill. A few seconds later, a dark-skinned six-year-old boy with brown hair came up to the falcon. He eyed the bird curiously before seeing a rolled up paper strapped to its leg. He immediately knew what that meant.

"Hey mom, there's a message for us!" the boy shouted. A young woman with dark brown hair in a loose bun appeared. She looked confused, but then saw the falcon. Without a word, she marched over to the falcon, united the paper, and read the message. Her expression went from confusion to worry in an instant.

"Oh, no. Trenton, where's Donald?" she asked the boy.

"He's out back, mom. What's wrong?" he asked, obvious worried about what was going on. The woman knelt down and smiled gently.

"Don't worry about it, Trenton. Me and your Uncles Donald and Justin will handle this. Now, could you please go get Donald and bring him here?" she asked. Trenton nodded and ran off. The woman glanced at the message in worry.

* * *

(HICCA'S P.O.V.)

Today wasn't the best of days for me. Bernice had said I was advanced enough in my training to begin sparring with others. My first opponent was Justin, of all people. I had seen this guy fight, before, and knew he was a tough one. I was proven correct as he easily thrashed me. Though, he seems to a be primarily defensive fighter, blocking attacks until he gets an opportunity to land a devastating blow. While I am better, I'm nowhere near his level of skill. I bet he could take on Astrid, if he wanted to. I grunt after getting hit with another blow from Justin, who was standing rather calmly the whole time. I get back up, ignoring my aching stomach.

"Come on, Hicca! You can do it!" Koryn shouted from the stands. She had come to cheer me on, which I found rather sweet. Heather wasn't here as she was busy practicing her flying skills with Windshear.

"Still a long way off, but you're definitely improving in terms of combat ability, Hicca" Justin said, regaining my attention. Then, he made a gesture for me to come at him, again. I charged and tried to punch him, but he easily blocks all my strikes with expert precision and speed. I try to grip him by his waist, but he simply flips me over his shoulder, causing me to land on my back. Again. At least Koryn can ease the pain with one of her messages. I roll onto my stomach and get an idea. I try to sweep him off his feet with my leg, but he simply jumps over it and, as he lands on his hands and I get up, kicks me in the side. I land a good foot away from I was as Justin easily flips back onto his feet.

"That was a good move, Hicca. Never be afraid to think outside the box in order to defeat an opponent. Being sneaky and underhanded is never a bad thing in combat" he said. I groan, but get back up. I charge again and try to hit him from the left. He easily blocks it, to my surprise, uses his foot to trip me. I, once again, land on my back. I swear, it's gotta be completely red by now.

"Never attack blindly. An angry opponent is always beaten" he said. He helped me up as it was time to stop training for today.

"Justin!" a new voice called. We turned to see a young man at the entrance. He was tall and well-built with dark brown hair and eyes. He wore a simple tunic, pants, and boots.

"Donald?!" Justin exclaimed, looking very surprised. He must know him, in some way.

"Who?" I asked.

"He's my older brother" he answered simply. Then, he turned back to the man.

"What are you doing here?" he asked.

"I tell you, soon. But, we must head to Daemun's office. Darcie's waiting for us" Donald said. We followed him. I tagged along as I was curious about Justin's family and wanted to help. Koryn met up with us and followed, as well. We soon arrived to Deamun's office where a slightly younger woman with equally dark brown hair and eyes in a simple dress was waiting along with Daemun. I looked at Justin, who seemed to be even more confused than ever.

"Donald, Darcie, what's going on?" he asked.

"Read this" the woman, like Darcie, said, handing Justin a note. He read it, quietly, and looked extremely worried.

"Oh, no. Allison" he said.

"Who's Allison?" I asked.

"My twin sister. We used to travel together, but we had split up. She wanted to keep on exploring while I decided to stay a little closer to family. She always made sure to stay in contact with us. According to this note, she's been captured by Dragon Hunters" he explained. I paled. I never heard of these Dragon Hunters, but I can guess what they love to do from just their name.

"Allison always a bit of a troublemaker, but to be in the clutches of those monsters…" Darcie trailed off, looking very worried.

"How did we even get this message?" Justin asked. At that moment, a silver falcon appeared and perched itself on his arm.

"Orvin" he said, petting the falcon.

"Is that some sort of messenger bird?" Koryn asked.

"No, Orvin's Allison's prized pet and companion. She often used him to send us notes. And he never disappoints" he said. His eyes hardened with determination.

"We need to rescue her" he said.

"Agreed. But, we can't come with you. We have our own families to worry about" Donald said. Justin nodded in understanding, then turned to us.

"Thankfully, I have plenty of friends to call on" he said. I smile. Justin's my friend and I'm more than happy to help him out. He'd do the same for me.

"I'm happy to help" I said. Justin smiled back.

"Go get Heather and meet me outside in an hour. The Dragon Hunters are going to regret messing with the Hitriz family" he said. I nodded and turn to a worry-stricken Koryn.

"Are you sure you have to go?" she asked, obvious uncomfortable with the situation.

"Justin's our friend, and he'd happily help us out" I said.

"But, you're going to be fighting Dragon Hunters! They're utterly ruthless and only care about one thing: money. They won't care if you're a young girl, Hicca" she said, trying not to panic. I smile gently and hold her hands while pressing my forehead against hers.

"Hey, it'll okay. I'm not helpless and I'll have Justin, Heather, and Toothless to keep me safe. Don't worry" I said, soothingly. We locked eyes and I could tell she wasn't fully convinced, but was willing to put her faith in me.

"Just... please come back to me. I can't imagine a world without you" she said, tears starting to appear from her eyes.

"Neither can I" I said, brushing away her tears. With that, I went off. I found Heather as she came back from her practice and told her the situation. She was more than happy to help and went off to meet with Justin. I dropped by the forge to grab my, now finished, custom weapon. I go get Toothless-who was out sleeping under a shady tree- and go to meet Justin and Heather as they were stocking their mounts' saddlebags. Heather is the first to notice me and see my weapon.

"Hicca, why are you holding a sword handle?' she asked. I can understand why she'd ask that as my new weapon did look that, at the moment. I smirked and clicked a button, causing the collapsible blade to pop out.

"A collapsible sword. Nice" Justin said.

"That's not all" I said and, with the press of another button, set the blade on fire, surprising the two.

"Thanks to Regina's help, my own skill, and some flammable liquid, I have created my new sword, _Inferno_!" I said, my voice full of pride. Heather giggled at my, rather, dramatic show.

"But, why set it on fire? It's a sword!" she said. I stare at her, incredulously.

"Yeah. Seems like an unnecessary idea" Justin said.

"You're supposed to be in awe of my cool sword! Not questioning it! Where's my love?!" I exclaimed, with a bit of melodrama flaked in.

"Sorry, but I'm both not interested in romance, and not Koryn" Justin said, mounting Silverbolt. I retract Inferno's blade and place it in a special sheath before mounting Toothless. Heather mounted Windshear soon after. Orvin suddenly appeared beside Justin.

"Orvin will lead us to Allison's location and we take over from there. Understand?" he asked. We nodded in confirmation. We took off, following Orvin towards the West.

* * *

We spent several days on this journey following Orvin. We flew for most of the day, camped at night on island we came across, stopped by a few remote Tripes-while hiding our Dragons-to stock up on food and other supplies, and kept on going once we were ready. I'm amazed by how calm Justin is. You'd think he'd be more worried and frantic to save his twin sister. But, he isn't. He's still the same level-headed and patient guy he always is. However, I did notice a tinge of concern and worry in his eyes. Perhaps he is more worried and simply depressing it to stay focused. We had stopped on an island as the sun started to go down and we were all huddled around a campfire. Justin was examining Orvin, who seemed a bit eager.

"From the way Orvin is fidgeting, I'd say we're about another day out from Allison's last known location before she was captured" he said. Again, he didn't seem all that upset or excited about this.

"You seem to be taking this awfully well" Heather said. Guess she also noticed Justin's behaviour towards this.

"Yeah, you don't seem to be in a rush to save your twin sister" I added. Justin looked at us, then sighed.

"Guess I've kept you two in the dark, long enough. You know the reason we split up?" he asked.

"You said was because you wanted to be closer to your family" I said, remembering what he said.

"Yes, but was only part of the truth. You see, this is boils down to the Dragon Hunters. How much do either of you know about them?" he asked.

"I can tell that they're some sort of tribe that specializes in hunting and killing dragons from their name" I said.

"Yes. The Dragon Hunters are, indeed, what their name implies. However, they don't just kill the dragons they capture. They also use them to craft powerful weapons and traps, use them to lure in other dragons, or sell them to others for a profit. They're lead by a man named Viggo Grimborn, one of the most ruthless and cunning strategists you'll ever meet" he explained.

"How do you know all this?" Heather asked.

"Personal experience. Shutting down the Dragon Hunters' operations is a bit of a side project for the Sky Fliers and they've been a personal enemy of my family for some time. Especially after Ryker, Viggo's brother, killed my dad, Thomas Hitriz" he said, looking saddened at the end. We gasped at him.

"When we learned of that, me and Allison went on a bit of a quest of vengeance. We actively sought out and raided Dragon Hunter camps to try and draw out Ryker and make him pay. However, as time went on, the wound closed and I became less motivated to continue, but I stayed to keep an eye on Allison and to try and sway her away from this whole mess. But, Allison was a stubborn and emotionally driven girl, and I knew it would cost her, one day. One day, it did.

We had got a lead on a secret hideout Ryker liked to stay in after big raids. We headed out, immediately, but we learned to late that it was a trap set by Viggo. We were overwhelmed and captured. We remained defiant when Viggo, himself, interrogated us, but he upped the stakes by threatening to brand us if we didn't talk. He went over to Allison first and begged him not to do it, promising that I'd tell him whatever he wanted to know if didn't harm her. Allison, always the bold and fearless one, had tried to strike Viggo, angering him. I had to watch as Viggo burned that insignia into Allison's arm and heard her cry out in absolute pain" he went on, and was actually trying to hold back tears, at this point. Did this affect him that deeply? I'm also horrified that Viggo would be so cruel. Nothing Berk said or did to me ever came close to such heartlessness. Justin managed to regain his composure.

"Thankfully, that was enough for Silverbolt to break free and get us to safety. But, Allison insisted that we go back and kill Viggo and Ryker. I had to knock her out in order to leave. When she came to, she was furious that I "ran away from the chance to avenge dad". It was painfully clear to me that Allison had become obsessed with revenge and I finally told her we had to let this go. That we had to move on from our grief" he continued, but paused with a sigh, obviously trying to keep his composure.

"How did she take it?" Heather asked.

"… She… called me a coward and said I didn't love dad if I was backing out. Those words stung me-still do, in fact-but I did my best to remain calm and try to talk her down. I must've struck a nerve, as she flat out punched me said a few more hurtful things to me before leaving to take her vengeance, on her own… That was two years ago and we've never saw or spoke to each other, again" he finished, looking down at the ground. We stared at him. He obvious took this pretty hard. I can't him, though, as I'd feel the same way if I was in his shoes.

"But, if you had a falling out, why are rescuing her?" Heather asked.

"She may be consumed by vengeance and full of rage, but she's still my twin sister and there's nothing she can do to change that. And there is a chance she's finally given up this path, if she's contacted us" he replied.

"I wouldn't hold my breath, though. She sounds like she might be in the best of mental health" I said. I really hate to be that person, but someone needs to say it.

"A fair point, so I'm trying not to get excited, but I still have hope" he said.

"So, what are the Dragon Hunters like?" Heather asked, deciding to change the subject.

"Why don't you ask us, yourself" a voice said and a group of Vikings armed with strange weapons appeared and surrounded us. We all got into battle stance. One of them, the leader probably, strolled up to us, smirking.

"These guys are Dragon Hunters?" I asked, looking between all them.

"That we are, my lady. I must say, I'm a little disappointed. We were expecting you to be here, sooner" the leader said with a false friendly attitude.

"Wait, you were _expecting_ us? How?" Heather asked. I saw Justin's eyes widen.

"The note Orvin brought us. We've been tricked" he said, growling.

"Not entirely. We do have your crazy sister in our clutches and, soon, you lot, as well. Those dragons will fetch a hefty price on the market. Especially that Night Fury" the leader said, pointing his axe at Toothless. He growled at the man and I sent him a glare. He is not going to touch Toothless. So, I pull out Inferno and extend the blade while also setting it on fire. The Dragon Hunters were caught off guard by this, but the leader quickly regained his composure.

"Now, that's a rather fancy sword. But, why is it on fire?" he asked. As soon as he said that, my arms let limb and my jaw hit the floor as I stare on in absolutely shock and bewilderment.

"Seriously?! _No one_ likes a _flaming sword_?!" I shouted. Am I, honestly, the only person who _likes_ my sword?! I look around and see everyone's either shrugging their shoulders or looking on in confusion. That let me know that, yes, I am.

"Oh, for Thor's sake…" I mutter, nearly drooping to the ground. The leader chuckled.

"Oh, don't feel so bad. I'll be sure to keep that little sword as a trophy" he said. The Dragon Hunters pulled out their weapons-either spears, axes, or crossbows-and got ready to fight.

"I wouldn't be so cocky, if I were you. We're far from pushovers" Justin said. With that, the Dragon Hunters attacked. Despite being heavily outnumbered, we held our own. Justin was having it the easiest, flipping, dodging, block, and ducking under the Hunters' attack and knocking them down with powerful strikes while Heather, despite not having any training, still sued her above average strength to do some damage. Me, my sword did intimidate them-making me squeal on the inside slightly-and the fact that I'm left-handed threw them off. My own training helped as well. Toothless, Silverbolt, and Windshear helped out, as well. By the end, they were all beaten and we tied up against the trees. We were all surrounding the leader.

"Okay, we now know Viggo is expecting, but why is he going to such lengths to draw us out?" Justin asked.

"Ha. Like I'd betray Viggo. The punishment he'd inflict one me would be greater than anything you could come up with" the leader said, smugly.

"He's right. Viggo has a zero failure/betrayal tolerance policy. The slightest misdemeanor could result in some brutal methods" Justin said.

"Why do you work for someone that cruel?" I asked, bewildered. The leader shrugged.

"You'd be amazed at people would be willing to put up with to get rich, quick" he said.

"Okay, but how are we going to get anything out of them? They seem to pretty tight-lipped" Heather said. Justin said nothing, but walked up to the leader.

"You said there's nothing I could do that'd be greater than Viggo's punishment? In a physical sense, true, but not in a _psychological_ sense" he said, earning confused looks from us and the leader.

"In case Viggo never said anything, he had not only murdered my father in cold blood, but also kidnapped my twin sister. So, you can bet I have some personal reasons to be… aggressive. I may not be Viggo, but that does not mean I don't know how to be cruel and you know what's crueler than killing someone?" Justin asked, his voice level and emotionless, which was actually causing the leader to look nervous. Suddenly, he pulled out his dagger and embedded it in the tree, just above the leader's head. He looked ready to wet himself.

"Killing them slowly and painfully. Taking your time in ending someone's life is many times more painful and cruel than just killing them, outright. Especially if you know how to keep someone alive no matter what you do them. I could do what I want to you over the course of several days, if I wanted to" he continued, dragging the dagger across the tree's bark, keeping it close to the leader's face, who looked very scared, now. So was I, to be honest.

"So, tell me: which one of us do you want to anger?" he asked in a low voice.

"Okay! I'll talk, just don't hurt me!" the leader shouted.

"Good. Now, where are they holding my sister?" he asked.

"On an island just West of here. There's supposed to be a huge slave auction, next week" the leader replied.

"Since when did Viggo have a part in the slave business?" Justin asked.

"He doesn't. He merely got a hold of number of escaped slaves and is selling them back to however captured them. Your sister will be among them. The island will be heavily fortified against attack" the leader said.

"That's all I need to know" Justin smiled and cut them loose.

"Now, I showed you mercy when others wouldn't, so I don't expect you to see any of you on that island. Understood?" he asked. They nodded and ran off, likely to their boats.

"You're surprisingly scary. You know that?" Heather asked.

"Yeah, I do have the uncanny ability to get inside a person's head. Now, we'd best get some sleep. Something tells me we'll have an epic day, tomorrow" Justin said.

* * *

We had arrived at the camp and it was massive. It could be very well its own village if you replaced all the cages with houses and other buildings. Dragon Hunters were everywhere, either guarding or escorting Dragons and/or slaves to cages. They both looked absolutely miserable in those cages, looking rather underfed while the Hunters seem to be eating like kings. We were hiding on a rocky outcropping overlooking the camp and were flat on our stomachs to minimize us being seen. The Dragons and Silverbolt were some feet behind us, out of sight of the Hunters.

"That is a lot of cages" Heather said, her eyes wide in shock.

"Yeah, and most of them are full" I added, saddened by this sight. How can anyone be this cruel, even for profit?

"By the time we're done, they'll be empty" Justin said, determinedly.

"I thought we were here for your sister?" Heather asked.

"I'm not going to abandon so many innocent lives if I can help them, Heather! That's not how I was raised" he said.

"How are we going to save all these prisoners?" I asked.

"The Dragons will be able to fly away. Viggo tries to keep them as intact as possible to fetch a better price. As for the slaves… we'll need to commandeer a few of their ships and make sure they can't follow us" he said. I noticed something in his eyes, though.

"You seem worried" I commented. He looked at me.

"Viggo sent those men to intercept us. He knows we're coming and he likely has set up a back up plan in case we made it this far. As I said, Viggo's greatest weapon is his mind. We can't underestimate him" he explained, deadly serious.

"Well, you seem to be the expert, how do you think he'll plan things out?" Heather asked. Justin placed a hand on his chin, thinking.

"He most likely has Allison in a more secluded spot, either aboard a ship or in a cage hidden somewhere. He'll likely have two spots: one being a decoy and the other being the real spot" he said.

"Great… he'll have us a wild goose chase" I groaned. We're dealing with a master strategist who can make people second guess themselves. Wonderful.

"Not so, Hicca. You see, when he killed my dad, we left immediately afterwards. He doesn't know if I'm still looking for revenge or not and may be expecting me to come alone in some sort of vengeance/ego-fueled move. Let's see if we can take advantage of that" he said, standing up and walking over to Silverbolt.

"You have a plan?" Heather asked. Justin flashed a smirk at us. Yep, he does.

"Viggo isn't the only one who can come up with brilliant strategies" he said. I get the feeling this will be quite interesting.

* * *

(THIRD PERSON P.O.V.)

An hour later, everything was quiet as the Dragon Hunters finished getting all of the Dragons and slaves into the cages. Now, they were just either keeping an eye on them or taking a break until given further orders. None of them noticed Justin stealthily sneaking around, taking out some high explosive bombs, litting their fuses, and planting them in specific locations. As he planted the last one, a Dragon Hunter spotted him and was shocked. Justin glanced at the Hunter, smiling.

"I suggest to run away unless you want to meet Odin in Valhalla in the next few seconds" he said before making a run for it. The bombs went off, destroying several tents that didn't house slaves or dragons, but food and other supplies. Caught off guard, the Hunters scrambled about and went after Justin as he ran into the forest. As soon as most of the Hunters were gone, the Haddock sisters and their Dragons appeared, looking quite surprised.

"That guy is crazy" Heather said, surprised this plan of his was working.

"Let's just to work before they come back" Hicca said and started freeing all of the captured slaves and Dragons. Meanwhile, Justin was running through the forest, leaping over fallen logs, rocks, and other terrain with practiced ease while the Hunters were barely keeping up. He eventually stopped in a clearing and threw a bomb at their feet. Before they could react, a thick cloud burst from the jar and engulfed them. When it dissipated, most of them were knocked out. Justin smiled in triumphed. Suddenly, a Hunter tried to slice from behind with an axe, but Justin easily ducked under it, leapt up, and kicked the Hunter in the guy, knocking him out, as well. Five more Hunters appeared. Justin spotted them and dropped into a fighting stance, ready to face whatever they had in store for him.

The first Hunter charged and tried to cleave him in half, but Justin redirected the axe into the ground, making it miss him entirely, before delivering a spin kick to the temple. The second Hunter charged shortly afterwards, but received a punch in gut followed by a knee to the face by Justin. He landed his hands and sprung forward, planting his feet into the face of the third Hunter as he was charging. He sidestepped the fourth Hunter's swing and ducked under his follow-up punch, causing him to hit the fifth Hunter square in the face. Before the Hunter could attack again, Justin tripped him from behind and rammed his foot into his head, knocking him out/ He stood up and shook his head.

"Coming at me one at a time? That was stupid. Viggo would've never made such a tactical error if he was ordering you all, himself" he said to himself, then spotted something in the distance. He squinted and saw it was a lone cage with a figure covered by a white tarp inside. Feeling curious but cautious, he ran over to the cage and, once getting within ten feet of the cage, stopped. He he scanned the surrounding area with his eyes with the utmost scrutiny, trying to spot anything out of the ordinary.

"No hidden crossbowmen… The clearing is too large for any trip wires… No indication of a pit trap… What is your game, Viggo…" he muttered to himself. Gripping his boomerang, but not yet bringing it out, he tentatively approached the cage, his eyes darting around for any hidden traps he may have missed. He gripped the cage door and found it unlocked. With great caution, he gripped the sheet and got ready to remove it.

"Alright, let's see what is underneath" he said and removed the sheet. He was not surprised in the elast at who was underneath.

"We meet again, son of Thomas" Viggo Grimborn said, rising from his crouched position as Justin leapt back.

"Viggo" he growled. While he may not be out for revenge, he still is angry at the man who killed his father two years ago. Viggo smirked at the boy.

"I'm surprised you took my bait. You must really desire my death more than I thought" he said, his hands behind his back like a dignified military commander.

"Just because I've fallen for your deception doesn't mean I'm here for vengeance, but I'm here for personal reason,s all the same" Justin said. Viggo immediately knew what he meant.

"Ah, your twin sister. I'm amazed you still have a kinship with her. She said some very awful things about you when I inquired on your absence" Viggo stated. Justin sighed internally. That girl's still consumed by vengeance, then…

"I'm not surprised. Out of the two of us, she took our dad's death the hardest. Now, why did you go to such lengths to lure me out? I haven't spoken to my sister in two years" he demanded. Viggo chuckled.

"Simple: I want to send a message to your Sky Fliers and to anyone else who got in my way" he replied.

"So, me and Allison are to be used as an example. Wasn't my dad enough?" he asked.

"True, it did cause you call off your attacks on my business, but I want to make sure you'll stay out of my way, for good. And what better way to do so than to kill one of their most skilled members and founders?" he asked, rhetorically. Justin's gaze hardened.

"If you want my head, come and get it" he said, drawing his boomerang and got into battle stance. Viggo let out another chuckle before drawing a sword from his back.

* * *

(HICCA'S P.O.V)

While Justin was keeping the Dragon Hunters busy, we did our part of the plan. We stayed behind and freed the captured dragons and slaves. It was difficult as the cages were made of some sort of dragon-proof metal. Thankfully, Heather was able to find the key and get everyone free. The Dragons took off into the night, happy to leave this island behind. As for the slaves, we rushed to the docks where several boats were. After taking care of the Hunters guarding the ships, we loaded up the slaves into two of the ships and kept an eye on them as they sailed off.

"Hey, Hicca, look at that ship" Heather said. I follow his gaze and spot a more ornate and bulkier ship. It must be a flagship of sort.

"Didn't Justin say that his sister may be stuck on a boat?" Heather asked me. I nodded and why take off. Despite the ship being rather well guarded, we were able to dodge their arrows and thank goodness. According to Justin, those arrow tips are coated in dragon root, which were disorient any dragon it hits if we aren't careful. Once the Hunters' numbers are thinned, we hop on deck. I barely have enough to block a Hunter's overhead swing, but I managed to block his arm. While I may not be as strong as a Viking at my age should be, Bernice's Spartan training has greatly improved my physical strength considerably. While he was busy trying to push against my arms, I knee him right where the sun don't shine, causing him to let out a high-pitched squeal and collapse onto the floor, clutching his crown jewels in pain. I smirk.

I spot Heather as she, again, uses her abnormally great strength to push a Hunter off the ship and into the cold water. As she peaks over the side, more Hunters emerge from below deck and got out their weapons. So I extend out Inferno's blade. The sight of my sword's flaming blade stops them as they watch on in fear and worry. Except for one, who looks confused.

"Why would you need a flaming sword?' he asked. Every. Single. Time. My eye twitches and I glare at him.

"I'LL SHOW YOU WHY!" I shouted and the next few minutes were a blur as I give these Hunters, what is most likely, the most brutal beating of their lives. I eventually come out of my annoyance-induced frenzy when Heather taps my shoulder. I look down to see a pile of badly beaten Hunters. Heather looks at me with an amused smile while I blush in embarrassment.

"Enjoyed yourself?" she asked, mirthfully. I blush even deeper.

"Let's just go find Allison and sink this ship" I said, curtly. We head below deck and to find it was empty. I used Inferno as a makeshift torch as we trekked down the narrow hallway.

"Hey, you're not Dragon Hunters" a rather raspy voice said, startling us. We turn to see a girl.

She was essentially a female Justin. Same hair, eye, and skin color and build and probably the same age. However, her hair is much longer, just barely touching where hair neck meets her shoulders and is straight as a board with her bangs pulled out of her face and styled into a braid on the back of her head. She wore a black shirt with long, bishop sleeves with the sleeves tucked under brown wrist bands on her. Over her shirt is a sort of dark grey short dress reaching to her knees with a poncho-like right sleeve reaching just a little pasted her elbow. Her dress had slits to her waist on either side and she wore black pants underneath with brown calf high boots with a low heel.

"You must be Allison" I said. She looks at me, confused.

"How do you know my name?" she asked, suspiciously.

"We're with your brother and are here to rescue you," Heather said. Allison stares at us before bursting into laughter as if we just said a hilarious joke. Her laughter died down after she saw that we weren't joking.

"Wait, Justin's actually here on the island, looking for me?!" she exclaimed, incredulous. Guess she didn't think Justin would ever rescue her after what happened.

"Yes. He's distracting the Hunters, as we speak, and he could use some help, probably" I said. Allison smiled, but it's not a relieved or gentle smile. This was a malicious and demonic smile. One you'd expect a merciless killer would have.

"Then, he might be fighting Viggo. Good…" she said, slowly, as if relishing the thought of killing Viggo. Given what Justin said of her mental stability, she probably is. She looks at us.

"Well, don't just stand there, let me out!" she shouted. I sighed.

"Justin actually wants to rescue someone this rude?" I ask Heather.

"She's his sister, after all" she shrugged. I groan and search for the cell key, which was in the captain's quarters. Once the door opens, she bolts out and into the captain's quarters. I can hear her throwing stuff around and mumbling to herself as she seems to look for something. She comes back out with a rather fancy-looking bow and a quiver full of arrows now strapped to her right side.

"Now, tell me where Viggo is. I have a couple dozen arrows with his name on them" she said with a truly savage grin. We look at each other nervously.

"We don't know" I said. Her grin fell.

"What?!" she growled, obviously not happy.

"When we got here, Justin had us free the captive dragons and slaves while hd distracted the Hunters. If Viggo is on the island, we don't know where is he is. We're supposed to leave as soon as we get off this ship" Heather said. Before of us to react, Allison closed the distance between and gripped Heather by the front of her shirt, holding her close to her face.

"You're so willing to let go of the opportunity to kill that murderer to make him pay for his crimes!? You're as weak and coward as Justin!" she shouted. My protective instincts kicked in and I brandish Inferno's flaming blade in front of Allison's face. Our eyes meet. One pair is filled with hate and vengeance while another is filled with determination and a desire to protect.

"Let. My. Sister. Go" I said in a low voice. Allison scoffed and complied.

"Sister, eh? You certainly have a weakly for a sister. If she had any strength, she would've killed her enemies without hesitation, especially those that deserve it" she said, shocking us both. How is this girl related to someone as sweet and gentle as Justin?

"That's _not_ how we do things!" I said. She walks past us, as if ignoring us.

"It should be. This world only respects one thing: strength. Cowards like you are destined to die at the hands of the strong" she said and climbed up the ladder.

"I hate that girl" Heather said, seething.

"Agreed. I'm actually starting to doubt if those two are related" I said, slightly calmer, but not much. We, reluctantly, follow her and found that, somehow, was already off the ship and running towards the forest.

"She we go after her?" Heather asked, honestly confused.

"Yeah, but only because we need to make sure Justin's alright" I said, sternly. With that, we mount our dragons and fly off after her. I swear Justin's going to get an earful from me when this is all over.

* * *

(THIRD PERSON P.O.V.)

The fight between Justin and Viggo raged on with both sides giving their all. While Viggo more of a leader than a fighter, he still has some skill and combat experience under his belt. However, Justin's more defensive and restained style was tricky, especially since he was younger than him. Still, the two were rather evenly matched. The two got into a weapon lock, with both trying to push the other.

"You always a strong one, even for someone so young" Viggo commented. Justin grunted.

"It runs in the family, Viggo" he said. Viggo chuckedl.

"Funny. That's exactly what you're father said before I kill him" he said. Justin growled.

"If you think that bringing up that fact will rile me up, you're sadly mistaken. I've accepted his death, long ago!" he exclaimed, pushing back Viggo, causing him to fall to the ground. Justin takes a leaping lunge at Viggo, who simply kicks him away with his foot. Justin skids across the ground and, once he stops, coughs a little. That kick did some damage, but not anything major. Viggo gets back up and smirks. Before he could move, an arrow whizzes by his head.

"VIGGO GRIMBORN!" a familiar voice shouted. Both combatants turned to see Allison standing on a ledge, bow in hand, and her eyes full of fury and anger. Justin looks at the sister he had abandoned two years ago with slight regret.

"Allison…" he whispered, groaning as he clutched his bruised rib. Allison leaps down and glares at Viggo.

"Ah, it seems you've escaped. Have you come to finish what you started?" he asked with a relaxed smile.

"You're darn right I am! And this time, you won't escape!" with that knocked another arrow and charged with a furious war cry, ready to exact her revenge, at long last.


	10. A Broken Bond: Part 2

(HICCA'S P.O.V.)

Was there ever someone that you knew if your life that you utterly hated because their attitude was so stand-offish? I just now learned Allison is that someone. Honestly, not even Snotlout was this aggravating, and he wouldn't know humility if it came up and set him on fire-assuming the twins didn't do the deed, first. I can't honestly understand why Justin still cares for her, as she's nothing but a massive jerk. First she was seconds away from hurting my sister and insulted us for caring about others and not enough about revenge, like her. This is the kind of person that Justin despises, so why would he make an exception for her, even if she's his twin sister. Even though we are following her, it's simply to help Justin, not her.

When we arrive, we see Allison locked in battle with a man, that was most likely Viggo, judging from the cold, calculating look in his eyes. She constantly switched between firing arrows and trying to smack him with her bow through the whole bout. Have to say, she's a pretty skilled fighter, like Justin. Must run in the family. Speaking of which, I spot Justin, laying on the ground holding his side. We land next to him and I quickly dismount Toothless and kneel by him.

"You okay?" I asked. He winces.

"I'll live, but I may have a fractured rib judging from the pain I'm feeling. For a guy who prefers to outwit his opponents, he sure can kick" he said. He looks at the fighting duo.

"I see you've found Allison" he said.

"Yes, and you couldn't you have told us she was a complete psycho?!" Heather demanded.

"So, she gave you one of her "the world only cares about strength" speeches. Yeah, she adopted that philosophy after our dad died. Not sure why she thought that'd help her cope, but it still is pretty aggravating for most" he explained. We heard a grunt and look to see Allison skidding across the ground. Viggo slowly approached her and Justin actually tries to stand up, despite his body obviously screaming in pain.

"What are you doing?" I asked/shouted.

"What does it look like? Helping Allison" he said. Oh, I really wish he hadn't said that.

"Are you serious?! She's a complete jerk who says you're a coward!" Heather exclaimed, just as dumbfounded as me. He glanced at her.

"Yes, but she's still my sister and I will _**not**_ abandon her, again. You would do the same if it was Hicca" he said, making her pause and look to be lost in thought. Without another word, he grabbed his boomerang and charged, doing his best to power through the pain he's in. He throws it just as Viggo was about to strike, nearly knocking the man to the ground. He steps back as Justin gets in front of Allison, who again is surprised. Guess she think Justin stopped caring about her, some time ago.

"Still, you defend her? You must know she has a low opinion of you" Viggo said, smoothly.

"I may not share Allison's desire to kill you, but she's still my sister and I will defend her and you're someone that needs to be stopped, regardless" he said, grabbing his boomerang. Allison gets back up and knocks another arrow into her bow, which she somehow didn't lose in her tumble. The twins charged and the resulting fight could only described as amazing. The two were moving in perfect sync, with Justin defending while Allison attacking. Even with Justin injured and their relationship in pieces, they still completely trust each other and can still work together as a single combat force. I wonder if me and Heather will achieve anything like that.

Viggo did his best to keep up with the twins onslaught, but their combined attack was slowly overwhelming him, as he seemed to be out of his element here. Guess he prefers to let his troops handle these sort of matters. Speak of the devils, a group of Dragon Hunters appeared. Must've caught on to our scheme or are reinforcements.

"They need help" Heather said. I draw Inferno and nod in agreement. Suddenly, Silverbolt swooped in and started thrashing the Hunters, defending his rider. We rush to help the griffin, our Dragons following behind. While they did outnumber us, these guys didn't have a lot of skill to call upon. Heh, if they were on Berk, Gobber would've trained them so hard, their bones would screaming in agony. The village always did encourage warriors to continuously sharpen their skills to fight off dragons and the occasional raid from other tribes. I suddenly felt someone ram into me and we both went tumbling to the ground. I groan as I crane my neck to see who landed on my. It was Allison, who looked none to pleased. She gets up, growling at Viggo, who had his back turned to us as he fought Justin.

"Are you okay, Allison?" I asked. Yes, I hate her guts, but that doesn't mean I shouldn't, at least, try to care about her. If Justin's still willing to help her, then I trust he knows what he's doing. She glares at me, making my flinch and yelp in surprise, and slight fright.

"I don't help from a weakling!" she exclaimed. I sigh internally. Oh, gee, a weakling? I've _never_ heard that one, before. And I really need to lay off the sarcasm. I was brought out of my thoughts when I spot Allison picking up her and bow and readied an arrow, aiming at Viggo's still exposed back. I immediately knew she was planning and I was worried.

"Think you can make that shot?" I asked. Allison scoffs, a large smirk on her face.

"Watch me" she said and took aim. I watch as the two continued fighting and saw Viggo behind and spot the arrow trained on him. Even at this distance, I can actually see the smirk on his lips and my eyes go wide. Oh, no…

"Allison! Wait!" I shouted, but it was too late as she already let the arrow fly. At the moment, Viggo moved out of the way, causing Justin to be struck by the arrow, instead. It struck him in his side and he screamed in pain as he fell to the ground. We all gasped, even Allison. Viggo and the hunters used this distraction to flee. Me and Heather rush up to Justin and see if he's okay.

"VIGGO GRIMBORN! GET BACK HERE!" Allison shouted, firing arrows haphazardly at the fleeing Viggo, her voice full of rage and… anguish? However, instead of pursuing him, she stopped shooting and rushed over to us and knelt down. She looked rather worried and concerned as she held her brother's hand.

"Justin? Please say something! Anything!' she… pleaded?! Guess she does still care for her brother, but must've simply pushed it aside in favor of her desire for vengeance. Justin groaned.

"That's… going to leave a mark" he said, despite being in unbearable pain. Heather grips the arrow and manages to yank it out, though it did cause even more pain for him.

"He'll live, but it'll take a while for the wound to heal" she said. This did little to calm down Allison as she was starting to hyperventilate.

"Hey, Heather, could you go and see if there are any bandages back in the Dragon Hunter camp. We'll stay here and keep an eye on him" I said. Heather reluctantly nodded-not wanting to leave me with the murder-happy girl-and left. Me and Allison sat in silence as she stared at Justin's face, obviously trying to maintain her cold and ruthless facade, even though it's clear she's worried. Despite my brain telling me not to, I place a hand on her shoulder. She doesn't seem to register it.

"He'll be okay, Allison. He's tougher than he looks" I said, as reassuring as I could. She remains silent, but the concerned look on her face vanished and was replaced with stone-cold determination. She stands up and starts to leave.

"Where are you going?" I asked, though I already knew the answer.

"After Viggo. He will pay for everything he's done" she said, enraged. I'm really getting tired of this girl talk like this.

"Again with your obsession with revenge?! Are you so fixated on this you'll leave your own brother when he's injured and unable to defend himself?!" I exclaimed. She turns to me.

"Viggo did this! He injured him and ran like the coward he is! He will not escape my wrath!" she shouted.

"No, Viggo didn't hurt Justin! _You_ did!" I exclaimed, leaving her confused.

"Right before you fire, Viggo saw what you were about to do and moved out of the way at the right moment, effectively tricking you into doing the deed for him! I tried to tell you, but didn't listen!" I added, getting into her face. Allison scoffed and turned.

"Like I'd ever to someone who doesn't know true strength. You show mercy when you shouldn't. If your own sister was killed, I wouldn't be surprised if you didn't care" she said in a condescending tone. I felt something inside me snap and, before she even realized it, I drawed Inferno and tossed it like a spear. The blade embedded into the tree next to her. Allison, seemingly unfazed, glanced at me with a calm, yet dangerous look.

"I've had enough of you and your narrow-minded viewpoint! You insulted me, threatened my sister, called me weak, and are now saying I don't care about Heather! You're nothing but a spoiled brat who can't handle the fact her dad had died! My own village, who saw me as useless, was never this offensive to me! The only reason I didn't leave was because of Justin, yet I now don't understand why he still cares about someone who clearly has a one-track mind!" I shouted, my anger finally reaching a boiling point. I refuse to let this girl insult me and Heather, any more.

"If you're quite finished, I'll be on my way" she said, not seeming to be fazed by my rant, which made me even angrier.

"You, you won't!" I stated, making her stop in her tracks.

"What. Was. That?!" she demanded through barely contained anger, glancing at me, again.

"You won't be leaving. If you think for a moment I'm going to let you simply walk away when your brother needs your help, then you've got another thing coming!" I said. Allison fully turns to me and I can see her hands are balled into fists, clenched tightly.

"Do you honestly think you can take me on, you annoying upstart?" she asked.

"I do. You say Justin doesn't care about my family, but it's obvious that you don't" I jabbed. That was obvious the last straw as she glared at me and, in a flash, was on top of me. She was quite strong and skilled, as I could barely get a hit in. As she went for another punch, I manage to grab her fist and slug her in the face with a punch of my own. While she's distracted, I push her off me with my foot. Enraged, she growls at me.

"What's the matter? Did I strike a nerve?" asked, though the smirk on my face would dissipate any thoughts of my being concerned about her. With impressive speed, Allison leaps at me, but lands in a roll before pushing off her hands and planting her feet onto my chest. I grunt as she pushes off of me and lands behind me, and me falling onto my back. She glares at me.

"You did, in fact. But, don't worry, you and that brat you call a sister will be reminded as to why you shouldn't mess with me" she said. Okay, threatening me is one thing, but threatening my sister is another. So, without warning, I perform a sweeping kick. Unlike Justin, she didn't see it coming and fell flat on her butt.

"You'll have to get through me first" I said, standing up.

"WHY?! Why are you so willing to defend that weakling?!" she exclaimed, honestly confused by the whole thing.

"The only weakling here is you, Allison. All you focused on is some petty revenge and it's made you push away your own family simply because they were able to move on" I said, really having enough of her nonsense.

"PETTY?! That man murdered my father in cold blood! He took him away from us! Away from _me_! He needs to pay and if my family is unwilling to help me, then so be it! I'll kill him if it's the last thing I do!" she shouted. She gets back up and goes for another strike, but it seems her anger's starting to get the better of her, as she's moving my sloppily than before. I manage to dodge the blow, causing her to stumble, but she regains her footing.

"And if you succeed, then what?! You think your family would welcome back a murder, even if they share the same blood?" I asked.

"They'll understand I was right! That I'm strong! They'll welcome back with open arms!" she shouted, but from the somewhat crazed look in her eyes, I think she's trying to convince herself more than me. Maybe she's more troubled than she lets on.

"I may have never met your family outside of Justin, but I know they won't welcome you back. No loving family would, in fact. You'll be throw back out or shunned for what you did!' I countered, the last sentence making me think back to me time on Berk. All the ridicule coming back full force, but I shove it down. They can't shun me, anymore.

"What do you know about being shunned?! About being an outcast?! You never lost someone close to you! YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT I'M GOING THOUGH, AT ALL!" she shouted-especially towards the end-and the crazed look in her eyes became even more noticeable. I must be really hitting some sensitive spots. I rush up to her and, before she could react, pin her to the ground. I look her straight in the eye.

"I _do_ know what you're going through, Allison! Back on my home, Berk, I lost my mother when I just a baby, and never met her. For my entire life, I was viewed as a mistake, an outcast, but everyone. My father barely spoke to me apart from the reprimand me and my only friend was the quirky blacksmith. I left that all behind to escape that excuse of a life. So, don't say I don't know what you're feeling, because I do" I ranted, my voice surprisingly level.

"If they hated you that much, why didn't you fight back?! Why didn't prove your strength by getting even?!" she demanded, struggling against my grip. I noticed it was rather weak, as if she's more focused on keeping on some internal battle.

"Because I was stronger than that" I answered, causing her to stop and look at me as if I'm crazy.

"What?" was all she could say.

"Yes, I'll admit, killing people does take strength, but it takes even more strength to show mercy and to ignore the pain you're feeling. Yes, you're father is gone, but he would've wanted you to move on from your grief-" a mighty punch cut me off and I was sent a couple feet back. Rubbing my sore cheek, I look to see an absolutely livid Allison staring down at me.

"SHUT UP! YOU DON'T KNOW THE PAIN I'VE FELT WHEN MY DAD DIE IN FRONT OF ME! OF MY OWN BROTHER LEAVING ME! OF THE FACT MY OWN FAMILY NEVER PAYS ATTENTION TO ME!" she shouted, shaking violent, as if trying to hold something in.

"Ever since he died, I saw everyone move on and be happy again, but not me. I can't stop seeing that same moment in my mind, no matter how hard I try. Killing Viggo is the only thing that's kept me going all this time. It's all that's ever brought me joy, again!" she ranted and she did something I never saw coming.

She cried.

Tears were streaming down her face like a waterfall and I could tell she was trying her best to stop, but this whole bout has done nothing but cause her emotional scars to resurface. Her legs were barely keeping her up and she looked ready to collapse at any moment.

"If I kill that man, then I'll finally be able to heal. I might be able to finally feel joy, again!" her voice was shaky and she sounded unconvinced as she stared at her hands, properly thinking back to the day her dad died. She clenched her hands into fists and squeezed her eyes shut.

"If I kill him, then I'll finally be forgiven for my weakness!" shouted, finally falling to her knees, her legs to weak to keep her up, anymore.

"We've already forgiven you, Allison…" our head snapped in Justin's direction as he leaned up as best he could, clutching his wounded side. He flashed her a gentle smile.

"Even after everything you've did and said, we never stopped loving you. _I_ never stopped loving. That's why I stayed with you as long as I did-to keep you safe and help you heal from your pain. That's why I came back for you, this time. I never gave up on you and neither did everyone else. The only reason they didn't come is because they had their own responsibilities to take care of" he explained. Allison stared at him, her eyes full of disbelief… and hope.

"You're lying…" she said weakly.

"You know I don't lie, Allison. Especially to my family" he said. That was enough for any restraint she had left to crumble and she broke down crying. I stared at her in confusion, then turned to Justin, who made a gesture for me to approach her. Not sure what to do, I do so and, as I soon as I'm close enough, Allison wraps her arms around me in the tightest hug I've ever had. Kind of put off, I wrap my free arm around her in some attempt to comfort her. By this time, Heather has come back with some medical supplies and stares at the scene in absolutely confusion.

"Did I miss something?" she asked.

"Kind of" I replied.

* * *

We moved back to the, now abandoned, Dragon Hunter camp. Allison trailed behind us, lost in thought after all the tears she's let out, while I helped Justin walk. Heather was my other side as I brought her up to speed on what had happened while Toothless, Windshear, and Silverbolt trailed between us and Allison. Once we got back, we laid Justin on a table while Heather got to work. Turns out, she's got a talent for medical work. I stepped back and let her work, but noticed Allison wasn't with us. I step outside and find her sitting on a cliff, staring up at the moon. I decide to sit next to hear.

"Hey, are you okay?" I asked. Any anger I felt for her was now gone, as I had seen her vulnerable side, the one that was nothing more than a little girl in great pain. Guess, her aggressive and vicious attitude was simply a coping mechanism to deal with her grief.

"...I guess so. For some reason, I don't feel so angry or hurt, anymore" she replied, sounding confused.

"Could it be because you finally vented to someone?" I suggested.

"Maybe, but that's not what's bothering me right now. It's what I'll do, now. I wasn't exaggerating when I said seeking vengeance was the only thing keeping me going, but now… I still want to get back at Viggo for what he did, but it's finally gotten through to me that I probably won't go through with it. So, where do I go from here?" she asked.

"I have a suggestion" for the second time, our heads jerk towards Justin, who was up and about, albeit limping due to the now bandaged wound.

"You're up" Allison commented, her deadpan tone and expression implying she's quite used to this.

"So, what is your suggestion?" I asked.

"Simple: come home" he said. Our eyes widened at that.

"What?! After the fiasco that is my desire for revenge?" she asked, but actually looked confused rather than angry or worried.

"True, you were hard to handle, but you know we don't hate you, as you were letting your emotions get the better of you and we can't really blame you for your reaction, either. You always were daddy's girl" Justin said. Allison smiled sadly.

"Yeah…" her voice was rather soft and remescient. She must be remembering their dad when he was alive. Then, she snapped back to reality.

"Okay, I'll come back, but only because you'll keep nagging me until I say yes. Also, I'm sorry for all those hurtful things I said to you" she said, rubbing the back of her head while blushing in embarrassment.

"That's alright, I had already let that go… princess" he said, the last word with a mischievous smirk. Allison blushed harder, but now looked angry as she growled.

"I thought I told to never call me that!" she exclaimed.

"I know, but I just couldn't help myself. Been a while since I got to mess with you" he said, that smirk still on his face. Allison pouted.

"I hate you…" she muttered, but I see she's actually trying to fight down a smile as I can see the corners of her mouth twitching upwards. Me and Heather giggled at their antics. They certainly love to tease each other. Allison looked at us.

"Also, I want to apologise to the both of you. I was a huge jerk to both of you from the second we met. Can you guys forgive me?" she asked. Still smiling, we glanced at each other.

"I think we can trust that you'll be nicer, from now on" I said. Suddenly, orvin came out and flew around Allison's head, looking quite happy. He perches himself on her right arm.

"It's good to see you, two, boy" she said, stroking his head.

"Well, now that we have what we came for, I say it's time we left. Everyone's probably worried about us, by now. Especially Koryn" Justin said. Immediately blush and Allison just as quickly catches on.

"Oh, this sweet little girl has a girlfriend? I didn't think Viking swung that way" she said with a huge smirk.

"They don't. We're exceptions" Heather said, proudly, as she mounted Windshear. I do the same while both twins mount Silverbolt.

"Also… what's with the flaming sword? Why does it even need to be on fire?" Allison asked. I stare at her.

"I like it, alright!" I shouted, really getting tired of that reaction. She laughs and we all take off.

* * *

(THIRD PERSON P.O.V.)

Viggo Grimborn sat at his desk back at the Dragon Hunters' main camp, mildly upset. He was sure he'd finally be rid of Thomas's prodigy twins, for good, this time. But, it seems to he forgot to take Justin's quick recovery of his grief into account along with him bringing some back up. At least, he can use this knowledge to better plan for the future. He was sure this won't be the last of their cashes. At that moment, Ryker, Viggo's brother, stepped into the tent.

"I heard your operation went south" he said, cooly.

"You heard right, unfortunately. Our adversary was more resilient and clever than we had anticipated, brother" Viggo said.

"Not surprised, given who their father was" Ryker said, crossing his arms.

"Indeed. I assure you I won't make that mistake, again" Viggo said, standing.

"So, why don't we just storm that island of theirs?" Ryker asked.

"There are many reasons for that, Ryker. The two most important is that the Sky Fliers have aerial superiority and their island is home many dangerous and powerful beasts. It would be suicide to attack their home, at this point" Viggo explained, walking past Ryker.

"Uness we find a way to even things out" Ryker said.

"Correct. That is not an easy task, but neither is it impossible. Until then, business as usual, but be sure to add some extra defenses. I'm certain this will spur them back into disrupting our operations, once again" Viggo said.

"I'm on it. I'll also see what we can do to level the playing field, along with that" Ryker said.

"Be sure to inform of anything in that regard. We have much work to do" Viggo said, not turning to his brother.

* * *

Allison and Justin stood before the front door of their family's home. Once they came home, the twins set off to their house so Allison can apologise to her family. She was slightly nervous, both due to her own nature and her brother's undying support, it didn't bother her enough to be a major problem. Allison release a breath.

"You ready?" Justin asked.

"Yeah… time to face the music" Allison said and went inside.

"Hello? Anyone home?" she called out. After a few seconds, a tall woman with long black hair entered the foyer and gasped upon seeing her.

"A-Allison?" she croaked out, her eyes tearing up.

"Hi, mom" Allison said, sheepishly. Without warning, she woman came up and hugged Allison with all her might, catching her completely off guard.

"Oh my God, I thought I'd never see you, again! I missed you so much!" the woman was crying like a waterfall, which was really weirding Allison out. She knew her mother was an emotional person-she inherited that from her, after all-but this is a bit much, even for her. She then spots Donald and Darcie looking at her with big smiles and no hint of animosity in her eyes. Finally, her mother let go and cupped her face.

"We all heard when happened. Does you're returning mean you've given up on this mad quest?" she asked, hopeful.

"Yes. I still want to see Viggo get what's coming to him, but it's not my focus, anymore. So, I'm home" Allison said, smiling from the light feeling it gave her.

"Glad to here it, little sis. We were all worried when we got that note. Are you okay?" Darcie asked.

"I'll live" Allison replied.

"Auntie Alli!" two childish voices said. Allison found herself tackled by both Trenton and a third year old girl. Allison laughed as her niece and nephew hugged her midsection with all the strength kids their age was have.

"Trenton! Bexley! It's good to see you both. You've gotten so big" she said, joyfully.

"We missed you, Auntie!" Bexley said, her eyes shining brightly.

"I know, Little Bex, but I'm back and here to stay" Allison said, patting the girl's head. Bexley smiled at hearing that nickname, again. For the next few hours, Allison reacquainted herself with her family, happy to finally be back home and not out on a wild goose chase. She still misses her dad, but at least she knows he is still proud of her and that she'll be able to see him again when she dies. Now, she can focus on being the sister, daughter, and aunt she should've been and help her family.

' _I wonder if old Daemun is accepting new recruits for the Sky Fliers_ '

* * *

 **That wraps up my first too-parter. And apologies if Allison's redemption is a little rushed or forced. I'm not an expert in psychology, so this sort of thing is outside my knowledge. But, I never intended for Allison to be a bad girl, just one that's in a lot of pain and fill with anger over the death of her father.**

 **But, enough of that. Who, or what, would you like for me to focus on for the next chapter? I'm eager to hear your thoughts. Yours especially, Mariah!**

 **Until next time, just keep reading and reviewing!**


	11. Zippy's Dilemma and a new Dragon Rider

(THIRD PERSON P.O.V.)

On a remote island, a large number of African people of all ages in chains are being loaded onto a series of boats. The little clothing they wore showed their starved bodies, due to a lack of food and reeked of a lifetime without proper hygiene. Yet, the men who were loading them up didn't seem to care in the slightest as the watched on with contempt and pride. The leader, who stood on the flagship, watched as his newest batch of slaves, greed in his eyes. He was sure to gain a large sum of money with these ones. A slaver came up to him, holding a list.

"Captain Honrich, we should be finished loading up the last of the slaves within the hour" he said. Captain Honrich grinned.

"Excellent. With that in mind, we'll be back home by this time tomorrow, barring any sudden storms or stops. Is there anything else?" he asked.

"Aside from the usual complaints about the slaves being underfed from the more soft-hearted slavers, no that's it" the slaver replied. Honrich sighed, not surprised.

"Weaklings. They should be lucky I don't throw them in with these meatbags for this. No matter, continue as scheduled" he said. The slaver nodded and left. Neither of them were aware of an unseen eavesdropper, though.

* * *

(HICCA'S P.O.V.)

Three weeks had passed since the twins' reunion and it has been rather quiet. Me and Koryn went on a couple of dates, now and again, and overall kept our relationship strong and steady. We were all surprised when Allison came and asked to become a Sky Flier, especially when Daemun agreed to it with Justin's encouragement. She refused a Griffin mount, though, as she said she wanted something more unique. Not sure what she's looking for, but I'm not complaining. However, earlier this morning, me, the twins, and Zippy were called into Daemun's office and Justin was now reading over a letter while Zippy just stood there and Allison was adjusting her bow string.

"You sure this is right, Daemun?" he asked, skeptical.

"Absolutely. I made sure so, myself" Daemun said.

"Uh, what are you two talking about?" I asked. Justin turned to me.

"We just received a letter from one of our inside sources that the Iron Hammer has captured a large sum of slaves" he replied. I feel a spike of rage and turn to see an angry Allison. She looked ready to murder someone and Zippy… she looked about to go into a panic attack, her eyes wide in absolute fear and she began to hyperventilate. Justin immediately goes over to her and places his hands firmly on her shoulders.

"Hey, it's okay. You have nothing to fear from them. They can't hurt you anymore, I promise" he said in his best soothing tone. It seems to work as Zippy starts to calm down, but is still very much fearful.

"Who are the Iron Hammer?" I asked.

"A notorious slaver group that operates in this region. They're also the same group that enslaved Zippy and her mother" Allison replied. I felt a pang of sympathy for Zippy as her star at her in worry.

"Yes, and according to this letter, they've gathered up the largest number of slaves we've ever seen. We refuse to let them be captives" Justin said, looking determined. Zippy grabs his hand in an instant, looking scared.

"Master Justin, you can't! What if they capture you, too?" she pleaded. Allison stifles a giggle.

"Please, Justin's too crafty to stay trapped for more than a few days. You worry too much, Squirt" she said. Her voice was full of her usual bravado, but I can see the sympathy in her eyes. Does she have a soft spot for Zippy like Justin? Zippy, however, doesn't look convinced.

"Hey, don't worry. I'll be fine. I won't be doing this alone. Trust me" Justin said, smiling at the girl. Zippy whimpered, but nodded and left, her head hung low. I see Allison's eyes following her as she exits the building, her expression unreadable. Daemun's voice caught our full attention.

"Now, then, thanks to our inside source, we knew the Iron Hammer's center of operations and that they're a small army, so every available Sky Flier and fighter will be called in for this and we have a few ideas to soften them up. Hicca and Heather will use their dragons to take out their watch towers and catapults, which will send them into a scramble. While they're distracted, the rest of us will swoop in and take them out" he said. I'm a bit amazed by how simple, yet sound this strategy is.

"How do we know they aren't expecting us?" I asked.

"This is our first engagement with the Iron Hammer, so they aren't prepared for us nor would they expect us to attack them, especially in their own home. Now, our information says they'll all be home tomorrow afternoon, so we have time to prepare" Daemun said.

"Good to hear. I've got some things I need to do. Also, Hicca, I want you to meet in a clearing Northwest of here in about an hour. If I'm not there when you arrive, wait for me. I shouldn't be long" Allison said and left. I was confused.

"Any idea what she's talking about?" I asked.

"Allison is a bit of a wild card, Hicca. In more ways than one" Justin said, simply. Being her twin brother, of course he'd know that better than anyone.

* * *

(THIRD PERSON P.O.V.)

Zippy was in a secluded spot of the fortress, curled into a tight ball as she cried her eyes out. Even after all this time, she still wasn't strong enough to stand her ground for someone she cared about. She couldn't shake off the mental, psychological, and emotional shackles her slaver masters had put on her, no matter how hard she tried or how much encouragement on love she received. And now, she might just lose the closest thing she's ever had to a family because she was too cowardly and afraid to stand up for herself, fearing retribution for such acts.

"There you are, Squirt" Zippy looked up with a start and saw Allison standing over her. Despite her being Justin's sister, Zippy was honestly quite intimidated by the girl due to her more abrasive personality. It reminded her too much of the slavers that made her living completely miserable. However, there was something about her smile that seem to put her at ease, this time.

"What's with the waterworks?" she asked, actually sounding gentle, or trying to be. Allison may be a Hitriz, but her aggressive nature made being gentle a difficulty, unlike her eternally calm brother. However, this was a situation that called upon her living up to her family's reputation for great compassion. So, when the younger girl didn't answer, she simply sat next to her and wrapped an arm around her shoulder.

"Hey, I get it. Justin told me your story. So, I know you aren't exactly sued to making your own decisions" she said.

"I'm a coward, Mistress Allison. It's all I'll ever be" Zippy said in a hollow voice that actually took Allison be surprise.

"Y-you're not a coward, Zippy" she said, sounding unsure. God, why did she have to be so bad at comforting others?

"Yes, I am! No matter how hard I try, I can't stand my ground without someone telling me what to do! I can't say no and I can't defend myself! They were right, I'm worthless and Justin knows it" Zippy snapped, tears streaming down her face, again. That last comment upset Allison a little, but she found Zippy's overall rant to be heartbreaking. She sounded like it was a fact of life and nothing could change it. Almost how Allison once viewed being strong. So, she stands up, places her hands on her hips, and looks down at the sobbing girl.

"Okay, first off, none of that is true and my brother would never think someone is worthless" she said, her tone leaving no room for argument. Zippy simply stared at her feet, still saddened. Allison crouched down and gently cups Zippy's chin, making the two lock eyes.

"Look, I know you don't think you're strong, but the truth is you are. You understand and acknowledge that you have flaws and mental scars, something most people do their best to hide out of fear of not receiving respect. And you know what I see when I look into your eyes?" she asked. Zippy remained quiet and simply stared at Allison, noting the surprising gentleness and understanding in her eyes.

"I see a raging fire that has yet to be harnessed. You have a brave heart, Squirt, and I know you know that, too. You may say you're weak, but you're not" she added.

"I heard this all from Master Justin. It's not going to work" Zippy said, glumly. It took alot of will power for Allison to not facepalm. Then she got to thinking and remembered how Hicca got her to move on. Forced her to confront her feelings on the matter. This will require being blunt and uncaring-traits Allison thankfully has in abundance.

"I think you;re problem. You may say you're a coward, but you really didn't want to fight the Iron Hammer-the same guys who put in chains. You decided that you'd rather have those who rescued you face them and get captured rather than confront them, yourself" she said, coldly, standing up. Zippy stared at the girl and stood up, looking horrified.

"T-t-that's not true!" she denied.

"Then why are you stuttering?" Allison asked, not missing a beat.

"I… I…" she hesitated, unable to form a response. Allison took note of her body trembling like hers did when Hicca confronted her on the subject.

"Face it, Squirt, you'd rather sell out your friends to save your own hide!" Allison concluded, smirking at the rising anger she can see in Zippy's eyes. She's pushing the right buttons.

"You're wrong!" she exclaimed.

"Is that so? So, I decide to sell you back to the Iron Hammer, you won't cower?" Allison asked. Zippy instant became fearful and pressed her back against the wall.

"No… I don't want to go back… I don't to be hurt" she was shaking like a leaf at this point. Allison placed a hand next to Zippy's head and stared her down.

"So, you won't mind if I sell Hicca or even Justin to them in exchange for not bothering you, instead?' she asked. Zippy didn't answer, but she did squeeze her eyes shut.

"I'm right, aren't I? You're just a little backstabber that is so afraid of getting whipped, she'll sell out her own friends to slavery in order to avoid such a horrific fate. Guess what you said is true. You are a coward" she said. That's when something in Zippy snapped. She never felt such anger at being called a coward before, but the way this girl said it just riled her up. She was so angry, she didn't noticed her hand curling into a fist.

"SHUT UP!" she shouted and slugged Allison right in her face with a powerful left hook. Allison landed about a foot from Zippy, on the ground. Zippy stared at the girl and then at her hand, in shock. Did she really just do that? Allison sat up, spat out some dirt-and even a tiny bit of blood-and smiled proudly at the girl.

"What I'd tell you? No real coward would've slugged me like that" she said.

"But… all those things you said…" Zippy started.

"Were simply to rile you up. To get under your skin" Allison revealed. She stood up and walked over to the, still, shocked girl.

"I know what you're going through, in a way. When my dad died, I started to believe that strength is that mattered. Hicca made me confront my own feelings on the subject until I broke down and cried. After that, I felt much better and no longer felt that way. That's what you're going through. You're in a lot of pain, but you refuse to directly confront it in fear of the pain" she explained.

"I-yes, I am. I can't stand remembering my time as a slave. It hurts to much, but I can't ever move on, no matter how hard I try" Zippy said.

"And you never will...until you decide to power through the pain and finally vent out your pain to someone. So…" she sat down and gestured for Zippy to do the same. Zippy, reluctantly, complied.

"Tell me everything and don't worry, I'll remain here until you do, so if you to stop, you can" she added. Zippy took a few deep breaths before starting.

"I was five years old when I became a slave. Before that, me and my parents lived in our homeland of Africa. I was happy and carefree, like any other child. But, then, the Iron Hammer cam and massacred my village... My father was killed and me and my mother were captured and sold into slavery... They put me to work right away and everytime I messed up or didn't work fast enough, they would whip me about twenty times, minimum…" she paused, looking in extreme pain and anguish.

"Go on" Allison said.

"No…" Zippy wan't to stop. The pain was too much.

"I know it hurts, but you have to keep going" Allison said, gently. Zippy took a calming breath.

" I… could never understand why people could be so cruel and my mother simply told me to do as they told me and never talk back…. I eventually realized my mother's spirit was broken the day they came and took us, but mine wasn't… So, at night during a massive fire, I ran… I don't know how they didn't spot me, but I managed to stow away on one of their ships and went to another island… but, they eventually caught me again and planned to take me back, where they would've whipped for an entire day as punishment. They got cocky and didn't bother to cuff me, so I managed to escape again and swam to the island Justin found me on" she concluded her story and, in an instant, she cried her heart out as the pain became to much for her to bare. Allison engulfed her into a tight hug, letting Zippy cry into her shoulder. They didn't know how much time had passed, but neither cared. Eventually, Zippy did manage to calm down.

"Feel better?" Allison asked.

"Much. I still feel scared, but I feel much lighter than before" Zippy replied, wiping away her tears.

"That's great to hear" Allison said, feeling proud of herself. Then, she got up and started to walk off.

"Where are you going?" Zippy asked.

"I have to meet up with Hicca, now. Now, I'm sure you have a lot to think about, now" Allison replied and left, leaving Zippy alone.

* * *

(HICCA'S P.O.V.)

I was in the clearing Allison mentioned. She wasn't here, yet, so I waited for her, as she asked. I'm honestly confused as to why she wanted to meet me, of all people, in such a secluded spot. I try not to think of negative stuff. Allison may be brash and confrontational, but she seems to have a secret soft spot for those she considers friends. At least, I hope so.

"I see you made it" I yelped in surprise and turn around to see a smirking Allison leaning against a tree. I take a moment to calm my racing heart before speaking to her.

"So, why did you want me to meet you out here?" I asked.

"Simple: I need your help training a dragon" she said, making me stare at her like she crazy. From what I've seen of her, she probably is crazy.

"Yes, I'm serious, Hicca" she added, probably seeing my expression.

"Why a dragon? Aren't happy with getting a griffin?" I asked.

"No, they aren't fiery enough for me. I want something that really needs you to work at to earn its respect. And Justin told me you have managed to learn how to tame a dragon enough to make riding them, possible" she said. Looks like she's dead set on this.

"Okay. So, do you know what kind of dragon you want?" I asked. She nodded.

"There's a dragon called the Bristleback not far from here. They aren't terribly aggressive, but they can be rather nasty to intruders" she said. I nodded in confirmation. There are a lot of aggressive dragons back in the Archipelago, so I know a few things.

"Why is it called the Bristleback?" I asked, confused. Allison just smirked.

"You'll see" was all she said and we were off. Allison knew the way, so she took the lead while me and Toothless followed behind her. It wasn't long before we reached a large cave. Allison made a gesture for us to stop behind a bush.

"First, we lure the big fella out" she said, pulling out a strongly red fish and tossed near the mouth of the cave. For a few minutes it was quiet, but then a low growl came from the cave and the Bristleback came into view.

It was large, rivaling the size of a Titan Wing Monstrous Nightmare and had the same wings-fore-forelimbs thing. It was a dark brown and had rough-looking scales. Its wings were large compared to its body and they were tipped with three sharp claws. Same with its legs. It had a pair of much smaller wing-like flaps on the base of its tail and its tail had a blade-like tip. Along its back were a countless number of long, sharp spines that stopped at the tip of its tail. Its head was shaped similar to a Nightmare's, but had a more pointed snout and four large horns on its head and one on its chin that pointed downwards. Its eyes were large and gold-colored. It also walked similar to a Nightmare.

The Bristleback looked around before spotting the fish and gulped it down in an instant, and kept searching for any out-of-the-ordinary things.

"Okay, Hicca. You're up" Allison said, slapping on the back and pushing me into the Bristleback line of sight. Rather than attack me, it stared at me curiously, probably thinking I'm no threat to him due to the massive size difference. After sending a glare at Allison, I slowly walk towards the Bristleback, my hand outstretched. The curious beast lowered its snout as I got closer and, like I did with Toothless, I pressed my hand on its snout, seeming to have an effect on the dragon as it closed its eyes. Once I was sure he won't immediately attacked, I glance at Allison and signaled her to come out. She comes up to my side, the Bristleback now turning its attention on her.

"Okay, why do I do?" she asked. I simply grab her hand and gently place it on the Bristleback snout. I didn't miss the awe in her eyes. She slowly moves her hand across the underside of its snout, getting a satisfied growl from it and she approaches its neck. She, somewhat slowly, mounts it and the Bristleback doesn't seem to mind or care. I spot a glints in its eyes and it starts flailing its head around, with Allison grabbing onto its horns to keep from falling off.

"Hah! Now, that's what I call spirit!" she exclaimed, cackling as the Bristleback kept seeming to try to throw her off. It eventually stops, seemingly giving up. She pets the side of its head.

"Well, it seems he didn't much training. So, what are you going to name it?" I asked.

"First off, this is a male. Second, I think I'll call him Pierce" Allison said. I raise an eyebrow.

"How do you know it's a male?" I asked.

"Because the males are the only members of the species that are brown" she replied. I nodded and mounted Toothless.

"We best get back and help get ready for fighting the Iron Hammer" I said.

"Yeah. Okay, Pierce, let's fly" she said. Pierce glances at her for a moment, then complies with an amazing burst of speed. We followed suit and we reach Heaven's Peak fairly quickly. The courtyard was rather empty. We dismounted and Allison scratches under Pierce's chin. He growls in satisfaction.

'He seems to like that" I mused.

"Yeah, he does. Looks, I have someone I need to see, now, so if you don't mind…" she said and walked off, Pierce following close behind. I shrug and got find Heather was at. I haven't spent any time with her, recently.

* * *

(THIRD PERSON P.O.V.)

Zippy was in her room, staring at a rather ornate silver dagger mounted on the wall. It was once her father's and she had managed to keep it hidden all this time, but could never bring herself to use it for anything. After Allison elft, she went to her room to think about what she said. That talk did help, as she felt much better, but she was still worried. She was sure she had a fear of whips after what happened. If she actually decided to help in this mission, she may end freeze up at the sight of a whip and cause someone she cares about to get hurt.

"Justin said you'd be in here" a familiar voice said. Zippy glances behind her to see Allison enter.

"I… have been thinking about our talk, earlier" she said, sounding somewhat unsure.

"Oh? You finally going to stand up for yourself?" Allison asked. Zippy stayed quiet, which was all the answer Allison needed.

"Ah, that's okay. Baby steps, I guess. But, you know where we're going if you ever change your mind" she said and started to leave again. Zippy turned to her.

"Why… why are you being so nice to me?" she asked. Allison stopped and seemed to be lost in thought.

"Guess… I see a lot of myself in you, Squirt. We have more in common than you think. That's how I know you'll rise up to the challenge and finally learn to be your own woman…." she said, actually sounding fond. Zippy stared at her, shocked at that answer.

"Welp, I better get going. Got some things to do before tomorrow. See you" she added and left. Zippy stared at the entrance to her room, her mind echoing Allison's words.

' _Is she right? Can I really be strong despite my fears?_ ' she turned to, once again, stare at her father's dagger, wondering what to do.

* * *

 **How about that? Zippy finally getting some growth, herself. I had this particularly one in mind for some time. Mainly because Zippy is based off of a friend of mine that is MUCH more confident and out-going than this girl is. And what does everything think of the abrasive, yet much friendlier Allison? And her being a dragon rider?**

 **Also, one final question: how do you guys want to have as the ending for this story?**

 **Till next time.**


	12. Zippy's Trimuph

(HICCA'S P.O.V.)

The moment the sun rose, everyone in the fort was up and getting ready for, possibly, the biggest raid in their brief history. Justin brought everyone up to speed on the plan of attack and they all readied their weapons for battle. I was helping Allison get used to riding a dragon and helping her put a saddle on Pierce, who trusted only Allison at this point. Everyone took the news surprisingly well, as soon as they got over their shock. I was a bit worried about Zippy, as she seemed to be lost in thought whenever I see her around. Allison kept telling me she'd be alright, but I still worry.

Still,we all prepped as much as we could. Justin loaded up on more bombs-especially the same explosive ones he used with the Dragon Hunters. Allison made a lot of arrows and practiced firing from atop Pierce, and we all sharpened our weapons for the upcoming battle. We spent the entire morning doing this and I was a little nervous. Sure, I wanted to fight dragons back on Berk, but that was merely to get recognition and respect, but these are Human beings, who won't fight like dragons. I shook away those thoughts. I can't think like that, now. We have slaves to free.

It was late into the afternoon when Daemun called for us to gather in the courtyard and take off. I notice Justin speaking to Zippy before leaving, likely reassuring her he'll be alright. I'll also make sure he comes back. Zippy's been through enough heartache, already. Once he was done, we took off into the sky, but I didn't notice Zippy's longing gaze as we did.

* * *

(THIRD PERSON P.O.V.)

Zippy watched as the majority of the Sky Fliers flew off into the distance, worrying greatly for their safety. She's well aware of the Iron Hammer's inhuman cruelty more than most people on this island and it was through personal experience, at that. She sighed, really wishing she could go with them, but she was still much too scared. She was so lost in thought, she didn't notice that someone was approaching her.

"Hey, what's with the long face?" Regina asked, walking up next to her. The tinkerer followed Zippy's gaze and immediately knew what was up.

"You want to go with them, don't you?" she asked. Zippy exhaled.

"Y-yes, but I can't bring myself to do it. I'm not courageous enough to face my demons" she replied. Regina burst out laughing, making Zippy stare at her in shock and confusion.

"Do you seriously not know what the definition of courage is?" she asked between giggles. Zippy actually felt offended by that.

"Yes, I do! It means you aren't afraid of anything!" she spouted, making Regina stare at her in shock. Zippy, herself, was surprised by how forward she was. Were Allison's words actually getting through to her?

"First off, nice to see you standing up for yourself. Second, no, that's not it. That's actually more like the definition of stupidity. Only stupid people are fearless" Regina said.

"Wha…?' Zippy asked, completely confused.

"Having courage means that you're willing to stand up and fight, even when you are afraid, grieving, or in pain. You've suffered all three of those and I can tell, without a shadow of doubt. That you are courageous" Regina said. Zippy was now even more confused.

"How am I courageous?" she asked. Regina smiled in a "cool big sis" kind of way.

"Most people that have been through what you have would've either shutdown completely or killed themselves. You did neither of those things. You kept going in spite of all your pain, sadness, and fear. Yes, you're afraid and still not fully recovered, but that's because you're carrying scars, not wounds. Wounds heal, but scars don't. They'll always be there, but they eventually fade and no longer hurt" she explained, sounding shockingly sagely. Zippy stared at her in awe.

"Really?" she asked.

"Yes, really. In fact, you're being courageous, already, as you don't try to hide your pain from others. You openly share it with others-much like Justin. Sure, you did need some convincing, but that's to be expected. No coward would do that" Regina replied, completely without hesitation. Zippy was in awe. Was she really strong, all this time?

"But… I can't face the iron Hammer…" she muttered.

"Can't or won't? Like I said-courage is facing your fears, not having any" Regina said, giving this smile that struck Zippy right in the heart. With that, Regina left, leaving the African girl to her thoughts. She mulled over both Regina and Allison's speeches to her...and realized they were right! She was strong! Thinking back to her entire life, she had never once let anyone break her. She never lost hope even when her own mother said to do so. She never truly gave up! And now, she think it's finally time to move on. She, she runs, full speed, back to her room and, once again, stares at her father's dagger, the weight of her decision coming in.

She reaches out to grip it, but hesitations, feeling some doubt. What if she was forced to be a slave, again?

' _No! I can't let fear rule me, anymore! My friends need me!_ " forcing resolve into her heart and mind, she gripped the dagger and removed it from its display. She stares into its blade, seeing her reflection and even briefly thinks she saw her father's face in place, for a few seconds. She actually smiles at the fact she's about to do something that utterly terrified her.

' _But, as Regina said: being courageous doesn't mean being fearless_ ' she silently noted she didn't Regina as "Mistress", this time. She hears chirping behind her and turns to see Khanya staring at her.

"Khanya, we have some work to do" she said, brandishing the dagger. She had a few things to do before setting off, but she was determined to get it done.

It's time to stop running.

* * *

(HICCA'S P.O.V.)

We were all hiding on a large large outcropping that was as close as we could get to the Iron Hammer's abse on the island in front of us. It didn't take us long to find them, but their base is massive-around the same size as the Outcasts' village. Thankfully we did have a plan on how to beat them and eve a few back-up plans. Justin had went on ahead to scout things out and see what he could blow up with his bombs. For such an easy-going guy, he sure loves explosions. Not at the same level as the Thorston twins, but still pretty noticeable. We had set up a few campfires as the sun set. While I was by one of them, Allison sat off to the side, making arrows and adjusting her bow string. So, I go over to join her.

"Why are by yourself?" I asked.

"Ah, I've always been a bit of a loner, in all honesty. Never liked crowds. Justin always tried to coax me into interacting with people more, but I always found some excuse to slip away. One of the few things that ever got on his nerves, actually" she said, chuckling at those memories.

"So, what about you? Justin said you were an outcast" she added.

"Yeah. Not being strong has that problem. I was smarter than most other members of my tribe, but that doesn't win any respect with them" I replied.

"Sounds like leaving them was the best idea you ever had" she mused.

"Yeah, it was. I swear, I probably would've never become so strong or have met Toothless had I stayed" I said, sounding somewhat proud. I throw a smile Toothless's way and he… just falls asleep. Lazy bum.

"Have you ever thought of going back, though?" she asked, staring at me. I think over that one.

"Not really. Guess being in Heaven's Peak for so long has made no longer consider myself a part of Berk" I said, honestly.

"Still, you should check in with your old home. Things change, after all" she said.

"Unless you're dealing with Vikings" I said. She hummed.

"True, but hey, you never know" she said. We hear a screech and look up to see Silverbolt land. Justin, along with an African boy around the same age, dismounted. Daemun walked up to them.

"How's it looking?" he asked.

"They have no idea we're here and all of the slaves are stored in an area away from the main camp" Justin said.

"That makes it easier" Bernice commented, sharpening her spear.

"Also, half of the men are drunk and they have no experience fighting airborne attackers" the African boy said.

"Who's that?" I asked.

"That's Ke'shaun, a friend of Justin's that he saved and our inside source for this whole thing" Allison said. Huh, that explains a lot. This guy is pretty brave to endure such harsh treatment for so long.

"Also, I planted a lot of bombs around said defenses, as well. They will go off in about ten minutes, at most" Justin added.

"Alright, you heard him! We have ten minutes to get ready. Dragon riders, get ready to rain fire down on them. Make no mistake, the Iron Hammer's reign ends, tonight!" Daemun said, earning cheers from all of us.

"So, you ready for your first fight as a dragon rider?" I asked Allison.

"You bet!" she replied, smirking.

* * *

(THIRD PERSON P.O.V.)

The Iron Hammer camp was quiet, tonight. Most of the men were having the time of their lives, wasting themselves without a care in the world. The few that weren't drinking were ensuring the slaves aren't trying anything. Some had already fell asleep, either at the tables they were drinking or in their cots. Either way, almost everyone was enjoying their night. One slaver was doing his nightly rounds when he heard a strange hissing noise. He followed the sound until he found the source: one of Justin's bombs. He didn't have time to yell, as it went off along with the several others, jolting everyone awake. Honrich burst from his tent and saw the destruction.

'What in the name of-" before he could finish, he heard a loud whistling sound and suddenly, one of the catapults exploded in a blaze of purplish fire. Svereral catapults suffered similar fates, but with blue or red fire instead.

"Dragon attack?" his lieutenant asked, frantically searching the skies.

"No, we don't have any food for them. This is something else" Honrich said. Then, he heard a strange screeching noise and what looked to be a flock of cat/eagle hybrids swooped down and proceeded to decimate the slavers. However, he noticed something off about their attack patterns.

"They're fighting too smartly for this to be a simple animal attack" he mused.

'Sir, look!" the lieutenant shouted, pointing to the sky. Honrich followed his finger and saw it. There people riding on the backs of those creatures, seeming to be directing them.

"Ah, so that's it" he said.

"Could they be here to shut down our operations?" the lieutenant asked.

"Most likely. Rally the men and prepare to counter attack. I'll join the battle, shortly" Honrich said, going back into his tent.

"Yes, sir" the lieutenant said, saluting.

* * *

(HICCA'S P.O.V.)

Things were going quite smoothly, so far. We caught the slavers with their pants down-literally, in some cases-and they are only starting to get their act together and fight back. Sky Fliers swooped down and flung them into the ocean or onto a number of other slavers. Me, Heather, and Allison set any form of artillery on fire and helped out, as well. Allison fired arrows, as well, and even combined some with Justin's bombs, creating some amazing effects. I spot Daemun on his griffin, wielding a sword.

"We've softened them up! Time to take the fight to ground!" he shouted. Almost immediately, many of the Sky Fliers lept off their griffins in mid-air and fought the slavers. Bernice, Allison, and Justin were among them-though Justin landed on top of a slaver and kicked another one in the face while doing so. I look at Heather, he simply shrugs, just as confused. I glance at Toothless and he gets the message. We land on top of, at least, three slavers and I hop off, drawing Inferno as I did. The slavers were startled by the appearance of both a Night Fury and my flaming sword. I charged and started beating slavers left and right. A slaver comes at, but receives a kick to the face by, none other than, Bernice. She takes out several more in a dizzying flurry of twirls with her spear. After she finished, one tries to attack from behind, but she easily backhands him in the face.

"I see your enjoying yourself" I said.

'Spartans live for battle, Hicca. Of course I'd enjoy being in a fight. This is paradise for me!" she exclaimed and charged at a group of slavers with zeal. I shake my head at this and suddenly get an idea. If what Ke'shaun was true, then we can free the slaves while they're all distracted. I look around and spot Justin, knocking over a large man.

"Justin! I'm going to try and free all the slaves!" I shouted.

"You better hurry. They won't stay clueless forever" he said and threw his boomerang, knocking two slavers at once. I look up until I spot Heather, still on Windshear. I use my sword to get her attention and directed her towards the place where the slaves are being kept. She understands and flies off towards the slaves. Me and Toothless run there on foot. We soon came upon a series of large cages filled with slaves of all ages and were mostly African, their telltale skin tone a dead give away. Windshear lands next me.

"So, how are getting all these slaves out of here?' Heather asked.

"Same as with the last group of slaves we dealt with: Lead them to the ships, load them up, and let them sail out and away from this place" I replied.

"Too bad there's a snag in your plans" a loud voice said. We turn to see a man possibly as massive Stoick behind us with black hair and equally black eyes. In his hand was a sword-like dagger with a ring surrounding the handle and a somewhat curved, silver blade. He had a big smirk on his face.

"Who are you?" I asked, pointing Inferno at him. He didn't seem phased, at all.

"Name's Arland, and I'm second-in-command of the Iron Hammer. Now, I'm gonna ask you to step away from the merchandise" he said, pointing his dagger at us. That last comment boiled my blood to the heat of a Fireworm's skin.

"These people are _**not**_ items!" I growled, anger barely contained. Again, Arland just chuckles, obviously finding this whole thing amusing.

"They are, now" he said. I snapped and charged at him, barely hearing Heather shout my name. As soon as our blades collided, I was thoroughly beaten. This guy was just too skilled and strong for me to handle alone and I found myself skidding into one of the cages. Heather knelt beside me and made sure I was okay, but Arland was slowly approaching us, looking ready to kill us or make us slaves. Suddenly, a griffin appeared and stood between us and Arland, much to our confusion. However, I soon recognized this griffin.

"Khanya?" I asked, incredulously.

"Wait, if she's here, then does that mean…?" Heather trailed looking behind Arland. Confused, we followed her gaze and to our shock, Zippy was standing there, a steeled look in her eyes. Arland laughed at the sight of a, seemingly, helpless little girl staring him down.

"And might you be?" he asked in a false affable tone. She didn't say anything, but her eyes did narrow dangerously and she reaches behind her and pulls out a dagger that was identical to the one Arland was holding, but hers had a series of ornate designs along the blade that made it appear more unique. I notice Arland's eyes seeming to widen, but he had his back to us, so I can't tell.

"That dagger-" he said, but was cut off by Zippy.

"You may not remember me, but I can never forget you! You murdered my father and stole my life from me so greatly I have forgotten my own name and tried to take away my spirit" she said, the anger in her voice barely contained and I can actually see her trembling, somewhat, likely from having to remember painful memories.

"Ah, yes, now I remember. You're that scared little whose daddy was a major pain in the rear. Though, I did like that dagger of his. Why have you come back?" he asked.

"To stop you, once and for all" she said. She pointed the dagger at him, and Arland looked confused.

'How? How are you able to stand up for yourself? What we did should've broken you into never disobeying anyone, ever" he said.

"Yes, I was. But, thanks to the love, compassion, and encouragement of the Sky Fliers, I am finally able to pull myself back together, at long last. No running" she said and dropped into a battle stance. That made Arland angry and he charged, trying to slice Zippy in half. However, she nimbly dodged the blows with a surprising degree of grace and agility. I'm actually surprised that she can pull off such amazing moves despite being so afraid of combat, before. In a surprising move, she dodge an overhead strike, jumps over Arland and pushes off his back like a spring board, knocking over. She rolls and lands next to us in a crouch while stared at her, speechless.

"Whoa…" I heard Heather say. Can't blame her. I'm just as shocked. Zippy turns to us and smiles.

"Hey" she said, simply. And with none of her normal reserved normal tone.

"What's going on, Zippy? Why are you here? I thought you never wanted to back here" I said, unable to figure out her thought process.

"I've finally learned to move on... Mostly" she said, the last word being rather sheepish. We hear grunting and see Arland getting up.

"Hicca, Heather, free the people. I'll hold him off" she said, sounding rather commanding and confident, as she stood up. What surprised me was the lack of "Mistress" when she said our names. Guess she really has moved on.

"You're sure you can take him?" Heather asked. Zippy simply smiles and rushes off and starts clashing with Arland. We just stare before I break out of my stupor.

"We better get these people out" I said, shaking Heather to snap her out of it.

"Uh, right" she said, a little nervously.

* * *

(THIRD PERSON P.O.V.)

Back at the battle, things were rather even-sided. The slavers had finally managed to regroup and started fighting back. However, the Sky Fliers' "quality over quantity" mentality and generally smaller bodies makes them hard to beat, but the slavers were still stronger thanks to their more developed bodies. Justin takes out another slaver, his body slumping to the ground after a sharp blow to the head. He observed the battlefield and couldn't find any sign of Honrich. That's when Allison, literally, dropped in, strangling a slaver until he passed out with her bow. She notices her brother's expression.

"What's got you worried?" she asked, standing up next to him.

"Honrich isn't taking part of the battle. Despite his disregard for Africans, he's not one to stand back and let his men fight without him" he said.

"Maybe he's made an exception?" she suggested, shrugging.

"Not this time, girl" Honrich said, coming into view and wielding a strange warhammer in one hand. Instead of speaking, Justin threw a bom at him, but Honrich simply uses his hammer to simply it to the ground and places the head over the bomb. Went it went off, instead of a explosion, there was a small "poof". Shocked, the twins stare at Honrich as he smirked. He slams the hammer onto the ground and a massive shockwave shoots out from the head, sending the Sky Fliers flying. The slavers saw this coming and braced themselves, so they were still standing. Groaning, Justin sits up and stares at the hammer.

"This is going to be a problem" he said.

* * *

(HICCA'S P.O.V.)

I watched Zippy in awe as she fights Arland with impressive speed, agility, grace, and even strength as she fights a man who is likely equal to Stoick in terms of strength and toughness. I was watching the battle and covering for Heather as she picks the locks to the cages to free the slaves. I can hear the slaves cheering Zippy, feeling joyful that one of their own is standing up to their oppressors, at long last. A loud clang rings out as the two daggers lock, resulting in a stalemate.

"You're quite strong for a puny brat" Arland said. Oh Thor, why won't this guy shut up?

"This 'puny brat' has worked physically demanding jobs since she was five!" Zippy exclaimed and, to my eternal joy, knees the guy in his private zone. Arland let's out the most high pitched scream in history and falls to the ground, clutching his crown jewels. Zippy pushes onto his back and points her dagger at his throat, making him look fearfully into the girl's eyes as she glared at him.

"You're beaten. You won't hurt another innocent, ever again" she said. Before Arland could retort, she punched him square in the face, knocking him out cold. Zippy releases a breath and falls to her knees. I rush to her side and check on her. She smiles weakly at me and I smile back.

"Justin's going to be so proud when he hears about this" I said.

"I know" she said, sighing in relief and I can even see tears of joy.

"Check his belt. He might have a key to the cages on him" she added. I nodded and thoroughly search his belt and, sure enough, there was a key. A few minutes later, everyone was out of their cages and looking at us, gratefully.

"On behalf of everyone here, I thank you" a middle-aged man said, bowing deeply.

"You're welcome" I said, feeling proud.

"Zipporah?" a quiet, tired voice called out. From the cages. We all turn to see a very thin woman with only a simple, very torn up dress, still in one of the cages despite it being open. Which shocked me was how much she resembled Zippy. I turn to see her staring at the woman with a mixture of shock and joy. She begins tearing up. She slowly approaches the woman.

"...Mom?" her voice was barely a whisper as the two look into each other's eyes. My eyes widen in shock. This is Zippy's mother? Once the two were within arm's reach, the woman proceeds to touch Zippy's face, as if not believing that her daughter was right in front of her. Once she was sure it wasn't an illusion, she scoops Zippy into a big hug, which Zippy returns.

"Oh, my baby! I thought you were dead!" she exclaimed, tears coming down her face like a waterfall.

"I managed to escape, mom. And found a place to call home, where we can be free" Zippy said. Her voice sounded so happy and full of life. The two parted from their hug.

"Oh, Zipporah! I-I've was so devastated when I learned you weren't on that ship. I thought you died, just like your father" she said, her voice cracking several times.

"Zipporah? Is that my name?" Zippy asked, confused and curious.

"Yes, it means beautiful, which is what me and your father thought you were when we first saw your face as a baby. I thought I would never see your face, again" the woman said.

"I was taken in by very nice people and they helped me in ways I could repay for" Zippy said. The woman glances at us.

'Thank you for looking after my daughter" she said.

"It wasn't us, but our friend Justin is on the island, so you can thank him, yourself" I said. Rustling was heard, causing me and Heather to turn and spot a very exhausted Bernice leaning against a tree, her spear broken in two and she had several cuts and scratches.

"Hicca, Heather! We need your-Zippy?!" she exclaimed, spotting the younger girl.

"Long story" was all Zippy said.

"What's wrong, Bernice?" I asked, seriously.

"It's Honrich. He has this strange hammer that creates shockwaves and he's tearing us apart. We could use your help" she said, looking scared. I glance at Heather, Toothless, and Windshear and they all looked ready to fight. I turn to Zippy.

"I know you aren't big on fighting, Zippy, but-" I started, but she cut me off.

"I will help. Honrich will not take another innocent person as a slave" she said, determinedly. I couldn't help but smile at how much braver she's gotten. Her mother gripped her wrist.

"Zipporah, please don't do this! I can't lose you, again!" she pleaded, looking absolutely scared.

"I know you don't want to do this-neither do I-but, I can't let that man continue to destroy live as he destroyed ours" she said, going over to a still unconscious Arland and picking up his dagger with her free hand. She held both daggers in her grip. She turns to us, resolve in her eyes.

"I'm done running away" she said, standing tall.

"That's our favorite trooper!" Bernice exclaimed. I draw Inferno.

"We better get to the battle" I said. Before we went, a voice stopped us.

"Would you like some help?" the man asked. I turned to him. I glance at everyone and they same okay with it.

"Yes, could use all the help we can get, but only if if it's okay with you" I said. He glances at the number of slaves, who looked at him with determination. He looks back at us.

"Then, it seems you have plenty of volunteers" he said.

"We'll need to get them some weapons. Good thing I know where to look" Bernice said, smiling.

* * *

(THIRD PERSON P.O.V.)

The whole camp looked like a warzone. Honrich and his hammer was doing some major damage to the Sky Fliers. Justin, Allison, and Daemun were the only ones actively fighting him while the other focused on the slavers so they could all gang up on Honrich and finally take him down. It wasn't a perfect plan, but it was the best they could come up with, giving the situation and circumstances.

Justin is sent flying by, yet, another shockwave and landed on a pile crate, smashing them under his weight. He groaned, rubbing his back-which was likely full of splinters, now. Honrich approached him, but was stopped by Allison firing several arrows, which he blocked with ease. She goes for another arrows, but finds her quiver was empty. Grunting, she rushed forward and tried to hit Honrich, using her bow like a club. He managed to dodge most of the blows and blocked an overhead strike. Honrich manages to push her off and slams the hammer onto the ground, sending out another shockwave, and sending her flying into a bolder.

'Can't you brats see? I'm unstoppable!" he shouted, cackling like a madman.

"When you have that hammer! Can you even face us without that thing?" Justin asked, hoping to goad him into getting rid of the thing. However, he just laughed.

"It'll take more than mind games to remove this hammer from my hand, boy" he said, seeing right through the ruse.

"Then, I'll remove your arm, instead!" Daemun shouted, trying to slice off the man's arm. Honrich dodges and attempts to smash his skull. Daemun blocks and dodges the blows, keeping an eye out for when he attempts another shockwave. He took note of how he's not using it, at the moment, despite having an opportunity to do so. It suddenly hit him… and so did the hammer, which sent him flying next to Allison.

"That's some hammer" she mused.

"You like? I made it out a strange metal I came across. Very potent stuff, as you have witnessed" Honrich said.

"But, there is a weakness: we have to strike it, first, before you can sue that shockwave ability" Daemun said.

"What makes you say that?" Allison asked.

"During our scuffle, he could've easily hit me with a point-blank shot, but didn't. I simply put and two together" he replied. Honrich looked impressed.

"What a smart lad. A unfortunate side affect, yes, but inconsequential in the right hands. Like mine" he said, haughtily.

"Justin, Allison. Follow my lead" Daemun said and charged forward, using a flurry of strikes to put Honrich on the defensive. The twins look at each and nod before charging forward, joining in the barrage, hoping to overwhelm him and land a crucial blow on the man. However, he blocked and dodged expertly, making this difficult. They all eventually got into a deadlock with him, and he pushed them away and, before they could, flung them back with another shockwave. They all landed on the ground, in too much pain to get up.

"Clever plan, you had there. Had it been a less skilled opponent, it would've worked. But, I didn't get to be the leader of the Iron Hammer by being a pushover" he said and noticed he still had enough energy for one more strike. As he readied the blast, a voice echoed through the air.

"HONRICH!" he turned around and saw Zippy standing there, her to daggers in hand. Everyone-slaver and Sky Flier alike-stared at her in awe, but none were more shocked than Justin.

"I don't believe it…" he muttered. Allison, on the other hand, can't keep the smile off her face. Looks like her talk worked, after all.

"And who are you?" Honrich asked, wondering if she was one of his slaves.

"I am one of the countless innocents that was wronged by you and your people and forced to into a servitude I never asked for. I bore the scars of your cruelty and I am now here to put an end to your reign. Once and for all" she said, pointing her dagger at Honrich, who was quite surprised that this child was willing to fight him. He had to admire that. Even so, he had to laugh.

"You and what army?" he asked. Zippy smirked and an army of armed slaves emerged, Hicca and Heather on their dragons on one side and Bernice on the other, all ready to fight for their freedom. The slavers were both scared and shocked while the Sky Fliers were amazed and happy and began attacking renewed vigor, forcing the slavers on the defensive, especially as the slaves entered the fray. Hicca, Heather, and Zippy regrouped with the trio, staring down Honrich as he readied his hammer.

"This is certainly gotten surprising. Care to tell me what's going on, Zippy?" Justin asked.

"Later. Right now, we have more important things to worry about" Zippy said.

"Bernice told us about his shockwave-producing hammer. Anything you'd like to add?" Hicca asked.

"Yeah. He needs to absorb our blows in order to use that trick. Meaning he needs to defend, then attack" Daemun replied.

"He's also tougher than he looks" Allison added.

"What's the plan? Heather asked.

'We take him down" Zippy said, brandishing her daggers menacingly. For the next ten minutes, the six fought Honrich, coming at him with a array of strikes, kicks, and other moves to try and take him down. Honrich, however, was able to block, counter, and dodge every move and unleashed powerful shock waves whenever he can. However, Hicca noticed his slams were getting slower and he was starting to pant, which brought her hope. He was getting tired. Still, he was like fighting a brick wall that can hit back even harder. After another shockwave, they were all sent flying. Hicca tried to get up, but was pinned when Honrich placed his boot onto her chest. The others were too tired and injured to get up.

"Gotta say, you six have gave me more trouble than anyone else in my entire life. So, I say this with the utmost respect: you'd all make fine warriors and comrades had things been different" Honrich said, readying another shcokwave-inducing slam right at Hicca's head.

"I'd rather die!" she spat. She did not approve of slavery and never will. If she has to die to uphold that, then so be it.

"That can be arranged in a few seconds, my dear" Honrich said. Zippy, who was a distance away behind Honrich, saw what he was about to do and spotted her father's dagger. She immediately knew what she had to do and knew she didn't have the time to think about the consequences. So, she rushed forward, grabbing her dagger in the process, and rushed towards Honrich, who remained oblivious. She jumped, ready to strike, but Honrich suddenly turned around and grabbed her by the neck, holding her place.

"You almost had me there" he said, smugly. Zippy smirks back.

"I still do" she said, confusing him. She plunges the dagger into Honrich's arm. He screams in agony, letting go of Zippy as he clutches his bleeding arm. Capitalizing on this, Zippy takes the dagger and slashes it across his chest, slicing it wide open. He stands there, his eyes die open and blood gushing from his wound.

"Good move…" he muttered before falling onto his back, dead. The slavers stop fighting and stare at their, now dead, leader. Then, they all stare at Zippy, who was covered in blood and brandishing her dagger.

"Leave and never continue your trade. Ever. Again" she growled threateningly. That was enough to send the slavers packing. The Sky Fliers and slaves cheered in triumph. They defeated the Iron Hammer, for good. Zippy helps Hicca to her feet, where was engulfed in a hug by Heather. Hicca happily returns the hug.

"Zippy, that was the most impressive display of resolve I have ever seen. It seems you finally learned to let go" Justin said, supported by his sister. Zippy smiled widely.

"I had a little help" she said, glancing at a proud Allison. Whether or not Justin noticed this, he didn't say.

"Tonight was an amazing victory for the Sky Fliers! We have defeated the Iron Hammer and slew their leader! The Archipelago can rest easier, knowing these criminals will no longer prowl the waters! I would like to thank the slaves who rose up in defiance of their captors and aided us in battle! We will not forget your help and know that the Sky Flier will always stand by you should you need us!" Daemun said, earning cheers from everyone present.

'Wel, we broke up a slave guild, freed a bunch of slaves, found Zippy's mother, defetaed a tyrant, and got a really cool hammer" Bernice said, holding said hammer. However, something else caught Justin's attention.

"Wait you found your mother?" he asked. Zippy nodded, smiling brightly.

"Yep. And it turns out my real name is-"

"ZIPPORAH!"

Before Zippy could react, she was engulfed in a bone-crushing hug by her mother, who seemed to be running on motherly love to stand up. She couldn't hug back as her arms were pinned to her sides. She eventually let go and noticed she was covered in blood and quickly saw the lifeless body of Honrich.

"So, he's dead, then?" she asked.

"He'll never put another soul in chains, again" Justin said. The woman looked at the boy.

"So, you're the one who helped my daughter?" she asked.

"Yes, ma'am" he replied, earnestly.

"Then, I cannot thank you enough. My daughter is all I have left in this world" she said.

"It was both an honor and a privilege to help her, ma'am. I never once doubted my decision to help her the night I found her" Justin said, pride seeping into his voice. Daemun came up and patted his shoulder.

"None of us doubted helping her. She is a good girl with a kind heart" he said.

"She isn't the only one. Thanks to you and your people, we have our freedom, again" the middle-aged man from before said, joining the group.

"No matter what these men said, you are not simple items to be bought and sold" Hicca said. The man smiled, happy to have met such compassionate people.

'But, where will we go. Our homes are all burned and we don't know where our homelands are" a woman said. The Sky Fliers all exchanged looks.

"We have plenty of room on our island for everyone and you will all be given the respect you deserve. We promise you" Daemun said. They were shocked, to say the least, but were touched by their generosity. The man looked at the group.

"We accept your offer" he said.

"The Iron Hammer still have some ships we can sue to ferry all these people to our home. And we have a few unpopulated towns they can call home" Bernice said.

"And there still houses that sit empty in some others" Justin said.

"Good to hear. We'll head back, tomorrow. For now, let's rest up and see what we can gather from this base. Afterwords, we're tearing it down, so that no other slavers can set up shop, here" Daemun said. With that they all dispersed. Hicca, Justin, and Zippy stayed together as they spoke to her mother-whose name turned out to be Mbali-as they brought her up to speed as to what Zippy's been up to all this time. They also helped her eat and drink, as she was severely malnourished and dehydrated from years of enslavement. She was just so happy to see and be with her daughter, again. Hicca wonder if this is how she and my mother would act if they ever reunited, again. But, that's a pretty low chance of happening.

Still, she had found a new family in Justin, Zippy, Koryn, Heather, and all her other friends. While she would consider Allison's words, Berk stopped being her home long ago. But, she still wonders how things are, back home.

* * *

Astrid slumped into her room, her body aching from another round of training with Gobber. Despite never being a blacksmith in her life, Astrid found out she has a surprising talent for it and picked up the techniques surprisingly quickly. Not as quick Hicca, though, but she definitely saw improvement. Once she had mastered it, she was pour it all into completing the axe and wield it in honor Hicca, and hopefully show it as a sign she's sorry if they ever saw each other again. Astrid still held doubt Hicca would listen, but she was willing to try and she would give it her all.

For now, though, she was going to go to sleep. She was drop dead tired. Gobber wasn't kidding when he said he wouldn't go easy on her.

* * *

 **Zippy's finally gotten out of funk and found her mother in one go! Pretty awesome, right? And Honrich and Arland's names are minor Easter eggs for anyone who can spot the references, but I'm not telling. Also things are starting to head into the fantasy department.**

 **Also, can anyone tell me what Honrich's hammer is made of based off of this chapter, alone?**

 **And Mariah, the "meeting Zippy's mother" bit was from your idea. Keep sending ideas!**

 **Until next time.**


	13. Romantic Outing 2

**Warning-this includes several mentions of bare breasts. You'v been warned.**

* * *

(HICCA'S P.O.V.)

A week has past since we beaten the Iron Hammer and freed on all those slaves. The whole time, Zippy, me, and twins, Koryn, and anyone else volunteered to help the slaves settle into their new homes in one of the numerous empty villages throughout the island. Many of them were recently captured slaves, not needing much rehab. There were quite a few that were as bad as Zippy was. It's almost to the point that they wouldn't breath without being ordered to with them. Zippy's mother was among them, sadly, her spirit was so broken, it'll take a miracle to restore it. Good thing we have her daughter helping us. Some of the younger ones-mostly orphans around our age-had expressed interest in becoming a Sky Flier, but seemed to be willing to ride dragons more than griffins, which no one minded.

Ever since that night, Zippy's really come out of her shell. She was no longer submissive, timid, or shy around everyone anymore, but now is a confident, mischievous, and open girl who always seems to have a smile on her face, much to everyone's surprise, awe, and pride as they saw their resident wallflower bloom. She tended to mess with us, really showing us her playful side, and she even took charge a few times during missions, at times. She's even taken part in active training with me, where she proves to be a dangerous fighter with those daggers of hers. Being a slave most of your life had one perk, but that's it.

Speaking of which, we were actually in the middle of a hand-to-hand sparring match. Zippy really held the speed advantage, here, as I can barely touch her, and she's stronger than her size would lead you to believe. I was no push over, either, as Bernice's Spartan training has really improved me physical strength. I'm probably on par with Astrid in terms of raw strength, now. I was brought back to reality by a kick to the gut, sending me to the ground. I look up to see a smug Zippy smiling at me. I get up and send a flurry of punches, which she dodges with impressive speed. She catches my last punch and I try to push her back, but she stands firm. Eventually, she ducks behind me and snakes her arms my waist. Before I knew it, the back of my head was slammed onto the ground.

She stood over me before planting her foot on my stomach. She smirks at me, but I smirk back. Before she could react, I grab her leg and force her back with a push. As I get up, she rushes forward and tries to get me in a choke hold, but I grab her arm and we soon got into a deadlock. Getting an idea, I hook my arms around her waist and push her onto her back and pinned her arms.

"Got you" I said.

"Okay, that's enough for today" Bernice called. I immediately get off her and help her up. She playfully punches me in the arm.

"Nice move back there, Hicca" she said.

"Same to you. That move you pulled to slam me onto the ground was impressive" I said.

"That was a suplex and thank you" she said. We soon met up with Bernice and Heather and walked down the street, simply chatting with each other. We came up to Justin and Regina in a forge with Honrich's hammer on a table. Ever since we got our hands on it, we've been trying to figure out what kind of metal used in making it. We haven't had much luck, though.

"Still nothing?" I asked.

"Yeah. Whatever this metal is, it's nothing I've seen before" Justin replied, stilling examining the hammer.

"Honrich must've known one heck of a blacksmith to get this hammer" Regina said.

"Too bad we can't ask him or couldn't find any clues as to where he found the metal" Heather commented.

"Indeed. I can only imagine what we could do with weapons made out of this amazing metal" Regina mused. I suddenly remember I have somewhere to be.

"Anyway, I need to be going, guys. I gotta meet up with Koryn at her house" I said as I start walking away from the group.

"Got a date, eh?" Zippy asked with a smirk.

"With all this crazy stuff, I haven't spent nearly as much time as I should've with her. So, I'm going to make it up to her. See you" I said and leave. I reach Koryn's house and knock on the door. It didn't take long for her to answer, but I yelped in surprise and embarrassment. Why? Koryn was completely topless, exposing her breasts to the world. Thankfully she had some pants on, but that was it.

"Koryn, we are you half-naked?!" I exclaimed, covering my eyes. Koryn laughed at my misfortune.

"What's wrong, Hicca? Don't you like what you see?" she asked in a seductive tone. I can practically feel her smirk.

"Yes!- I mean no! Ah! Why aren't you wearing a shirt?!" I demanded, trying not to become flustered by my girlfriends obvious teasing. She laughs again.

"If you must know, I was just getting out of a bath when you knocked" she said.

"And you couldn't have, at least, put on some bindings before opening the door?" I questioned.

"Nah, I thought you'd like to see my assets. The boys back in my hometime always said I'm quite easy on the eyes. And they ain't wrong" she said, chuckling. I'm pretty sure my face was red as a beat, now.

"Ah, for the love of Thor, put some clothes on!" I practically shouted, making Koryn laugh at me, again.

"Okay, miss innocent, I'll stop with the teasing. For now. You can wait in the living room until I'm decent" she said, letting me inside. I walk to the couch, trying not to look at Koryn's still exposed chest and still feeling her smirk. She goes into her room and comes out a few minutes later in her usual dress. I just glare at her as she sits next to me.

"Oh, come on, don't be like that. I was just teasing you… Besides, I'm pretty sure you have quite the bust, yourself" she said, the annoying smirk on her face.

"Oh, just shut up!" I groaned, but inwardly, I was flattered.

"But, I mean it. In fact…" she trailed off. Before I could react, she grabbed my breasts and started squeezing. I yelped in surprise at the sudden contact, the blush returning to my face with a vengeance. However, her expression turned from a teasing smirk to a confused frown as she keeps feeling.

"Why does it feel like your bindings are much tighter than they should be?" she asked. I suddenly freeze in shock and worry. What if she finds out? She stares directly at me.

"Hicca, are… pressing your breasts?" she asked, any thought of teasing me gone from her and replaced with concern. I stare at her, conflicted. Should I tell her or lie? However, I look into her emerald-sapphire eyes and I knew I could trust her.

"...Yes. I actually have a rather generously sized bust for a girl my age, but I always get teased by the other girls my age for it. So, I started tightening my bindings to make them appear smaller. That's why I appear to have a small chest" I revealed. I see the shock in her eyes.

"Doesn't that hurt?" she asked.

"I got used to it" I said, simply. I sigh. Guess I still carry some scars from Berk. I feel Koryn grip my hand.

"How come I never noticed during our time at the swimming hole?" she asked.

"I made sure to hide the fact I'm pressing my chest as best I could. I never bothered to stop, even when I came here. Old habits die hard, I guess" I mused.

"Hicca, you shouldn't be hurting yourself like that all because of some mean-spirited teasing. I know how it feels to be harassed for something you can't really control, but you can't let them get to you like that. You're here, they're not" she said, the conviction in her voice easily heard.

"It's not something I can just stop doing, you know" I said.

"Look at Allison and Zippy. They both overcame the habits that were hurting them. If they can do it, so can you. And I'll be by your side, the whole" she said, giving me that sweet smile I love so much. Odin, what did I do to deserve such an amazing girlfriend?

"I love you" I said, sincerely.

"I love you, too" she replied. Her smile got bigger as a strange look appeared in her eyes.

"How about we go out on a flight? Away from the island and get your mind off this sad tale?" she suggested, beaming a massive smile.

"Flight to where?" I asked, curiously.

"To a deserted island not far from here, where we can get some alone time. What do you say?" she asked. I shrug.

"Well, I've been meaning to spend more time with you and I've got nothing else to do" I said.

"Great! I'll go get ready and think about what I said" she said, running out of side. I chuckle at her enthusiasm. She comes out a few minutes later and we hop on Toothless. We take off and I let Koryn lead the way.

* * *

It took us a couple of hours to reach the island, but we finally arrived. It was a pretty decent-sized island and, like Koryn said, was deserted save for the local wildlife. We landed on the beach and, as usual, I help Koryn off of Toothless. As soon as we were off, Toothless bounds for a shady spot under a tree to relax. Lazy dragon. Koryn takes my hand and leads us through the vegetation. I let her lead me around until we arrived in a small clearing with a large oak tree in the center and we sat on its large roots.

"Amazing isn't it?" she asked me.

"Yeah" I said, a little breathless.

"This island is where the Sky Fliers found me, actually. About three years ago, my sexuality was exposed and my hometown almost immediately tried to burn me. So, with only the sad excuse for clothes I ahd on my back, I ran and eventually found my way onto a ship. I was eventually discovered and thrown overboard as the crew believed having a woman aboard a ship is bad luck. I spent six months on this island before a couple of Sky Fliers found me and brought me to Heaven's Peak, where I have lived ever since" she explained. I listened intently and was quite amazed by the story. Sure, I knew that Koryn's hometown burned homosexuals, but hearing how bad it was was still a bit shocking. Koryn turns to me and grips the bottom of my tunic. Instinctively, I my hands go to stop her.

"What are you doing?" I asked, blushing.

"Hicca, you need to remove the bindings" she said, her face neutral.

"I told you-" I started, but she cut me off.

"I know, but you'll feel a lot better once they're removed. Trust me" she said, looking into my eyes. Reluctantly, I remove my hands and let her do what she wants. She takes off my vest and tunic before turning me around to undo the knot that keeps my bindings up that's on my back. She begins unwrapping the cloth, which takes a while as I used a very long cloth. She eventually finishes and my breasts are finally removed from the restrictive cloth. I, shockingly, feel a strong sense of relief afterwards. As if I still felt the pain and it finally went away. I glance down at my breasts. They were crushed, as expected.

"Feel better?" Koryn asked me, smiling. I stare at her.

"... Yes, I do. You were right, Koryn. Guess I'll need some new, less constrictive, bindings, now, huh?" I asked, jokingly.

"Then, it's a good thing you have a seamstress for a girlfriend" she said, cheekily. I let out a chuckle. I put my tunic back on, but not the bindings. We pretty much spent the rest of the day simply being by each other's side, exploring the island, having fun, and looking at the local wildlife. A colorful bird even landed on Koryn's shoulder, much to her amazement. By the time we returned to the oak, the sun was beginning to set and we laid against the oak's trunk, gazing up to the sky as the stars became visible. Koryn was leaning against my side, simply enjoying being next to me.

"You know, I'm glad I left Berk. Ever since coming here, I've made real friends, gained you as my girlfriend, and well on my well to becoming an amazing fighter. I don't think this would ever happen to me if I stayed in that village" I said, snaking my arm around her waist.

"I can say the same thing about leaving my home. I have the most amazing life here and I have no intention of giving it up" she said, though I noticed she sounded a little sleepy. I let out a yawn, myself, and it wasn't long before we both fell asleep in each other's hold. I barely even noticed Toothless over and laying next to us.

* * *

(THIRD PERSON P.O.V.)

Back on Heaven's Peak, Regina and Justin were still trying to figure out what kind of metal the hammer was made of. So far, they made no progress as it matched no known metal. Regina was confident they'll figure it out, eventually. Speaking of which, she was currently looking it over with a magnifying glass while Justin stared off into space.

"Hmm… Hicca and Koryn have been gone a long time, now" he commented. Not long after they left, Allison had said they had left on Toothless, having spotted them as they flew off.

"I'm sure they're alright. Besides, they have a Night Fury watching them and Hicca's become quite the fighter since she began her training" Regina said.

"Still, I'd like to check up on them. Do you know where they've been?" he asked, turning to the tinkerer.

"From what Allison said, they were likely heading to the island we first found Koryn on" she replied. Now, Justin was worried.

"Uh, you know that island has an active volcano that could erupt at any time, now, right?" he asked. Regina, turned to him, now also worried.

"Okay, that's bad. Perhaps we should check on them, just in case" she said. With that they mounted Silverbolt and flew off at high speed.

* * *

(HICCA'S P.O.V.)

A massive shake woke us up. The animals were flying around us and Toothless looked worried. Still groggy, we stood up and frantically looked around.

"What's going on?" Koryn asked. A glow catches our attention we look up to see an erupting volcano.

"I'm guessing that" I said.

"I never knew this island had an active volcano on it. Let's get out of here" she said. Without another word, we mounted Toothless and took off. Good thing, too, as lava started pouring out of the volcano as soon as we did. The lava flow lasted for a few hours before the volcano followed stopped and the lava cooled down, but the entire island was covered in the stuff, now.

"Well, there goes our romantic outing" Koryn said.

"Eh, I'm sure we can find less dangerous locations to visit" I said, reassuringly. I hear a familiar screech and Silverbolt comes into view, Justin and Regina on his back.

"Oh, thanks goodness you two are okay" Justin said.

"We got off the island as soon as the volcano erupted. No burns on us, thankfully" I said.

"That's good to hear. Now, how about we get out of here" Regina said.

"Hold on. What's that near the volcano?" Koryn asked. We follow her gaze and saw a large opening at the base of the volcano. Curious, we flew down towards the opening and peered inside. We gasped in awe as, within the opening, was a mountain-size boulder of a very familiar black mineral.

"Justin, is this…" I asked, but couldn't finish.

"Only one way to find out" he said. He chucked his boomerang at the boulder and we were blown back by a large shockwave. Welp, that confirms it.

"It's the same metal as Honrich's hammer" Regina said, amazed.

"But, there is probably enough here to supply an army and still have some left over" Justin said. We gazed at the metal in awe.

"Looks like the Sky Fliers have a large project to undertake" Koryn said.

"Yes, but we still need to figure out how to mine this metal without getting pushed back by the shockwave and how to smith it into weapons" Justin said.

"Well, we won't get this done by standing around. Let's go tell Daemun" I said. With that, we got on our mounts and flew off towards Heaven's Peak, with possibly the most amazing discovery of our lives.

* * *

(THIRD PERSON P.O.V.)

Meanwhile, on a faraway island, in a run down bar, various patrons were enjoying their drinks, meals, playing various games, or simply talking. Sitting at the counter was a cloaked figure, enjoying something to drink, even as the cold night air howls outside, indicating a storm is coming.

"Hey, did you hear what happened to Honrich?" a patron asked, catching the figure's full attention.

"What do you mean?" another asked.

"He's dead" the first patron said, causing those listening to gasp in shock. Honrich was one of the most influential, feared, and respect slave trader in this region of the world, with a small army of cutthroat warriors at his beck and call. So, hearing he was killed was a hard pill to swallow.

"How do you know this?" another patron asked.

"Well, you see, as I was going about my business on the docks, I spotted a couple of his men, looking downtrodden. When I asked, they said their base was raided by a group of welps calling themselves the Sky Fliers. Raided their base in the middle of night, getting their latest batch of sleeps to fight back and managed to kill Honrich during the battle. Said they claimed his prized warhammer as a trophy of sorts" the first patron explained, earning more gasps of shock, wonder, and respect from his audience. The figure was especially interested.

"How did they get their fleet to their island without being noticed?" a patron asked.

"That's the thing: the said they flew in on strange, flying creatures, attacking from the air before meeting us on the ground. One of them even mentioned one of them riding a Night Fury" the first patron said, shocking the audience again. Someone managed to ride the Unholy Offspring of Lightning and Death Itself as some sort of steed? That's impossible!

"Do they know where they went?" a patron asked.

"Not precisely, as they were forced to leave as soon as Honrich died. All they knew is that they headed to the east on their commandeered ships, likely to where they came from" the first patron replied.

"Do you know the way to Honrich's Base?" a new voice asked. The patron looked to see the hooded stranger has joined the group.

"Who's asking?" he asked.

"That is none of your business. All you need to know is where to point me" the stranger said.

"You really think I just up and tell you?' the patron asked. The stranger replied by dropping a large bag of gold on the table.

"Does this change your mind?" he asked. The patron chuckled.

"That it does"

* * *

 **Finally back into the swing of things. Still unsatisfied with the length of the chapters, though. Oh well...**

 **This chapter was inspired by one of Mariah's suggestions. As I keep saying, keep sending me ideas. I appreciate my number one reader's opinions very much!**


	14. Blade

**This is a particularly short chapter, sadly. I'm having a bit of writer's block, sorry everyone. So, if you have any ideas, let me hear them. Especially you Mariah.**

 **Now, I already asked this, but do any of you have a suggestion for Astrid's axe design? If you do, tell me!**

* * *

(HICCA'S P.O.V.)

It has been a month since the discovery of that large deposit of black metal and we spent that time setting up a mining base on the island, which is pretty much uninhabitable due to the, now cooled, lava covering half the island. No progress in mining and/or smithing it, though. This metal's harder than anything I've ever seen. We tried everything-my smithing techniques, Justin's Alchemy, Regina's gadgets-and nothing worked! It was beyond frustrating.

On a brighter note, I've stopped binding my chest, allowing me to show off my assets' full glory which earned a lot of jealous looks from female Sky Flyers and loving glances from a few boys, though they never approached me due to me already being spoken for. It really made Koryn happy. I also received several requests from several freed slaves to teach them to ride dragons, which I've been thinking over, at the moment. But, at the moment, I was busy with more pressing matters: another discussion on how to make use of this new metal.

Me, Justin, and Regina were in Daemun's office, going over ideas and suggestions. So far, we've got nothing that'll work.

"We tried everything; blowing it up, heating it to nearly 1,000 degrees, cracking it over with a drill, dropping from really high up. We barely chipped it!" Regina exclaimed, pacing back and forth, before stopping in front of Daemun's desk and slammed her forehead on said desk.

"It's official: I'm out of ideas" she said.

"I'm stumped, as well. It's easier to move a large rock than to even scratch this metal" Justin said.

"I even had Toothless unleash rapid fire plasma blasts on it. All that did was nearly send us into the sun" I said, shuddering at how big of a shockwave that stunt made. Good thing we did this outside in the woods, were no one got hurt.

"And when you came back down, you landed on an angry triceratops" Justin added with a playful smirk. I glared at him.

"This metal is obviously not easily broken. But, if Honrich can have a hammer made out of this stuff, then there is a way to smith it. But how?" Deamun asked. We brainstormed for a while, then Justin's eyes light up.

"The Northern Markets!" he exclaimed, catching our attention. I was confused.

"The Northern Markets?" I asked.

"It's a large trading area. Vikings and other traders from all over gather there to sell various items, some of which can't be found anywhere else, but it is quite shady" Regina said.

"Yes, but there's a chance we could find something that can break this metal or even point us in the direction of the one who can smith it" Justin said.

"But, it's also a regular stop for Dragon Hunters. It'll be dangerous" Daemun said.

"Yes, but we can handle it. And we may have no other option, at the moment" Justin stated.

"You know, I won't let you go there alone, right?" Daemun asked. Justin smiled.

"I never said I was going alone" he said. With that, me, Justin, Allison, and Heather mounted up and left for the Northern Markets. It was pretty far out from the island. It was near dark by the time we arrived, so we landed in the forest surrounding the markets and got some sleep.

* * *

The next day, we walked into the Markets, leaving our mounts as to not invite any fights. Things were very busy, with merchants selling their goods to various Vikings from many different tribes. None of them noticed us, though, which is good. Wouldn't want to draw unwanted attention to us. We asked several merchants about how Honrich got his hammer, but no one knew the answer or just kept trying to sell stuff to us. After several hours, we took a break and entered one of the taverns.

"It's no use. No one knows squat!" Allison groaned.

"I can't say she's wrong" Heather said. Justin shrugged.

"It was worth a shot, at least. Once we get something to eat, we'll head back home" Justin said. I notice Allison's eyes widen in shock and worry.

"Uh, we have a problem" she said, pointing to the entrance. I see a large, muscular man with two swords on his back. Justin looks worried, as well.

"Oh, boy" he said.

"Who's that?" Heather asked.

"That's Ryker Grimborn, Viggo's older brother" Justin replied. Our eyes widen, now understand just how much trouble we're in.

"What do we do, bro?" Allison asked. Rather than reply, he stands up and pulls out a smoke bomb.

"Everyone, hit the deck!" he yelled and tossed the smoke bomb. The whole tavern went into a panic as soon as the smoke fills up the room. Using the smoke cover, we run past Ryker and out the door. Allison stops and blocks the door with a large barrel, hopefully slowing them down. As we run around the Markets, I can hear Ryker yelling out some commands to some Dragon Hunters that were with him. We rush into the forest and try to get to our dragons, but we ended up running straight into a group of Dragon Hunters, their crossbows trained on us. Ryker appears behind us, chuckling.

"Well, it's seems to be my lucky day. Thomas's twin brats and the Night Fury rider" he said. We try to draw our weapons, but the Hunters tensed, ready to fire.

"This can done one of two ways: either you surrender peacefully and you will likely survive or you try to escape and we kill you all, right now. So, which one will it be?" he asked, feeling like he's won. My blood boils.

"What are we going to do?" Heather asked worriedly, as she grabs my arm.

"I don't think they'll fall for the smoke trick a second time" Justin muttered. Ryker laughs at our predicament before a grunt is heard. One of the Hunters falls to the ground, unconscious. Standing behind him was a boy, about our age, with slightly tanned skin, scruffy black hair and ruby red eyes wearing a black long-sleeved tunic, black pants, and boots with a white fur hooded vest over the tunic and white fur gauntlets on his arms and white fur over his boots. In his hand was a polished dark silver hammer/axe hybrid.

We all stare at the boy in confusion. Why did this guy come from? And why does his hammer look so familiar?

"Who are you?" Ryker asked.

"The guy who's gonna kick your butt" the boy replied, a smirk on his face. Before anyone could react, he threw his hammer, slamming a Hunter in the face. It bounced off several trees, knocking out another Hunter, before landing back in his hand. Taking advantage of the distraction, we took on the other Hunters, but Ryker stayed back. The boy is finishing off a Hunter with a combination of punches and smacking him with his hammer. Another Hunter tried to attack him from behind, but he used his hammer to block the attack and continued blocking attacks. He was soon surrounded on all sides.

"Looks like we have you cornered" Ryker said, darkly. The boy smirked, however, and slammed the hammer onto the ground. To our shock, a familiar purple shockwave erupted from the hammer, sending them all flying. They were all on the ground, groaning. We all turn to Ryker, who ran before we could attack. Once he was gone, we relaxed and turned to the red eyed boy.

"Thanks, we owe you one" Justin said.

"You're welcome. By the way, name's Blade" the boy said.

"Your parents named you Blade?" Allison asked in confusion. Blade simply shrugged.

"Okay, but why are you here?" I asked. There's no way he stumbled upon us by accident all the way out here.

"Oh, I'm here to retrieve something of mine that you have" he replied, confusing.

"What are you talking about?" Heather asked.

"It's a family heirloom. Stolen by a man named Honrich" Blade added. I instantly knew he was talking about.

"The hammer" I blurted.

"That's right. My dad forged it for Honrich, but when he found out he was a slave trader, he refused to give it to him. Honrich kill him and took the hammer. I've been searching for it, ever since" he said.

"Wait your dad can forge this metal?" Justin asked, surprised.

"Haven't figured out, yourself, huh?" Blade asked, cheekily.

"We can't even scratch the stuff" Allison said.

"Then, I believe I can help you. My dad taught me how to forge this metal, as well" Blade said.

"And you're willing to just help us out?" Heather asked.

"Eh, I really can't go back home. Things would be way too hectic for me to live, peacefully. Besides, your group looks like it could need a blacksmith. Especially if you plan to use Vibranium" he replied.

"Vibranium? Is that what this is called?" I asked. Blade nodded. Justin glanced at us and quickly came to a decision.

"Well, we can use a blacksmith. Hicca's pretty good with a forge, but she can't smith the met-Vibranium like you can. So, we're happy to have you aboard" Justin said and the two shake hands. That's when our mounts came into view, startling Blade.

"Wait, you're the Night Fury rider?" he asked me. I nodded in confirmation. We mounted, but Blade looked apprehensive.

"Uh, can't we just take a boat?" he asked.

"Oh, come on, you big baby!" Allison exclaimed, grabbing Blade and hoisting onto Pierce behind her. Yelping, he wrapped his arms around her waist, much to Allison's amusement. He screamed as soon as we took off.

* * *

We arrived at the mining sight, where Daemun and Regina were waiting for us. While we all slid off, Blade practically threw himself onto the ground, looking absolutely terrified.

"I am never riding that thing, again" he said, panting heavily.

"Who's this?" Daemun asked.

"This is Blade, and you'll be quite surprised by what he can do" Justin said, helping Blade to his feet. He looked ready to lose his lunch since Pierce was rather wild the whole ride. My and Toothless watch on they fill Daemun in on everything. I had a feeling things will be quite interesting from now on.


	15. Next Step

(HICCA'S P.O.V.)

In the following weeks since we ran into Blade, our Vibranium mining operation really started booming. He showed the miners how to successfully mine the stuff while he forged the metal into weapons and is even teaching some of us how to do the same, though mostly me since I'm the only other blacksmith on the island. The new Vibranium weapons have proven to be extremely effective and almost every Sky Flier has one, even us. We all upgraded our weapons with Vibranium, making them much more deadly. The only major problem we've had was getting the stuff to the island, which is why we're now starting to build ships to transport the Vibranium to Heaven's Peak. As for Blade, he's fitting in, for the most part. He's still put off by the Dragons and Griffins, but he gets along great with everyone.

Anyway, it was mid-noon and me and Bernice were having a sparring match with our new and improved weapons. Our weapons went through a bit of a design change when we upgraded them. Inferno's blade was now longer and was much sharper with a ring guard similar to Zippy's daggers added for defense. It also had a built-in Zippleback gas dispenser on the bottom. Bernice's spear now had a head that made up half the overall length with two curved pointing backwards, forming a sort of guard.

Bernice charged and twirled the spear around like a pro, but I was able to block every attack and even tried to attack her, but she easily blocked me as well. It kept on like this for several minutes before I tripped her up and knocked her spear away and pointed Inferno at her chest, signifying I won.

"Wow, Hicca, you've gotten good!" she laughed out.

"I had a great teacher" I said, helping her to her feet. She playfully punched my arm and I barely flinched. Yeah, my endurance and strength really have come a long way since Bernice trained me. I can match Heather in raw physical strength, at the moment, and I'm loving it. I actually wish Snotlout was here, so I could give him a thrashing for all the bullying I received from him.

"Don't sell yourself, short. You've proven to be quite a prodigy" she countered as we left the arena. There was a big party going on in the mess hall, and we didn't want to be late.

"So, how are you liking your new spear?" I asked.

"Ha! I never loved a weapon so much! This new spear is unstoppable" she said, twirling said spear in her hand. I chuckled at her enthusiasm and I can't help but agree with her. We head into the mess hall and meet up with Zippy and Heather, who were sitting near the wall.

"How did training go?" Heather asked.

"Excellent" I replied, sitting down next to my sister. I hear cheering and see a number of patrons cheering on some dancers. To my surprise, one of them was-

"Koryn?" I asked, incredulously. There she was, in a much more revealing dress, dancing away to her heart's content. Can't say I wasn't excited to see her dancing. I was told Koryn is an amazing dancer. Koryn spots me and winks at me, making me blush, much to Heather, Zippy, and Bernice's amusement. She slowly dances towards me and I slowly stand up. She stretches out her hand, which I take, and the two us slowly start dancing. I've never been a good dancer, so I was a bit nervous about all of this, but staring into Koryn's eyes, all those fears faded away and we fell into a rhythm. I don't know how long we danced, but it didn't matter. This felt right and I wouldn't trade it for anything.

After we got tired of dancing, we sat down with the others and simply chatted away. Then, Blade entered and joined us.

"Hey, guys. This is some party" he said, sitting down.

"Ha! You should've seen our favorite love birds dancing away, earlier! They dominated the dancer floor" Bernice said. Blade looked confused.

"But, I don't see any boys with you. So, how…"he trailed off, the gears in his head starting to click. His eyes widen, a little, in surprise.

"Wait, does that mean these two girls are an item?" he asked, pointing at me and Koryn.

"Yes, you got a _problem_ with that?" Heather asked, menacingly, glaring at the boy. Zippy stabbed the table with one of her daggers while Bernice brandished her spear. Blade raised his hands in defense.

"Nope! I was just surprised by two girls loving each other, that's all" he said, quickly. They all quickly backed off, satisfied with his answer. I chuckled at their antics. Personally, I wasn't worried he'd disapprove of our relationship. This is our life, not his. So, what he says doesn't matter and neither does anyone else's.

"Enjoying yourselves?" Daemun asked, joining us.

"We are" I replied.

"Good. With the amount of good luck we've been having, I figured a celebration was in order" Daemun said. I nodded in agreement.

"Hey, where are the twins?" Bernice asked.

"Yeah, I haven't seen them, all day" Heather added.

"Spending time with their family. They'll be back, tomorrow" daemun said.

"Well, enjoy yourselves. We have a lot to do, tomorrow" he said and left us. The part went on until night came and we all headed home. For me, I spent the night with Koryn, just happy to be in her embrace as we slept.

* * *

The next day, we will gathered in Daemun's office. He had an important announcement to make, so every Sky Flier gathered there. I said goodbye to Koryn and headed there. I ran into Heather and Allison along the way and we all entered the spacious room, where a dozen Sky Fliers were waiting for us. Once we're all here, Daemun spoke.

"I'll be blunt here: twice, so far, we've run into Viggo and his lackeys. Both times, he was actively trying to get rid of us. It's obvious he sees us as a threat and will try to stop us, for good. So, from this day on, we're resuming our campaign in putting a stop to Viggo's operations and bring Viggo down" he explained, earning surprise from all of us.

"Our new dragon riders and Vibranium weapons offer us a whole slew of new tactics and edges against Viggo's weapons, despite him having more men and better tactical skills" Justin added.

"And, besides, he'll come after us eventually, as Daemun said. So, I say we strike first" Allison said, fiddling with one of her arrows.

"This also means you'll need to up your training and get used to dodging arrows and other long range attacks. We'll dealing with a cold-blooded killer, here. Not some savage animal, either" Justin stated, sternly.

"We're also starting a island-wide recruitment campaign, as well. We'll as many Sky Fliers, as possible. We'll also need to recruit more dragon riders. They'll prove useful with their various fire attacks" Daemun said, looking at me. I nod in affirmation.

"This will be our biggest undertaking, yet, everyone. It won't be like with the Iron Hammer, where we only needed to strike one base and that's it. And Viggo is much more dangerous and cunning than Honrich ever was. But, I'm certain we'll prevail. People like Viggo always lose, in the end. So, if we persevere, we will be victorious!" he exclaimed, earning a round of applause from all of us.

I have no doubt he's telling the truth, either.

* * *

 **Yep, another short chapter. Really couldn't put a lot into this chapter. Still, I'm please to say that I'm liking the direction I'm heading with this. I had planned on the Sky Fliers engaging the Dragon Hunters in, basically, a war for a long time, now. And we'll be seeing a lot more dragon riders, from now on. So, yeah for all you dragon lovers, out there.**

 **I'm also hoping to bring in Johann and Krogan, as well. And I'm eager to hear your suggestions.**

 **Until next time!**


	16. Class is in session

(HICCA'S P.O.V.)

It's been three days since Daemun's big announcement and things have been very busy in Heaven's Peak. Almost as soon as we made the announcement, many people requested to become Sky Fliers, half of them wanting dragons instead of griffins. Me and Bernice ahd set up training courses to get these new recruits ready for flying. Bernice, obviously, handled their combat training while I focused on helping them tame and ride dragons. I didn't have them tame dragons, immediately, as there are none on this island and these people have never seen a dragon before, so I need to make sure they are prepared to face them.

I was currently teaching my class on the various abilities of known dragon species. While I'm no Fishlegs, I do have a pretty good hold on dragon knowledge.

"Alight, can anyone tell me which dragon would make the best welding torch?" I asked, standing in front of a black board with my class sitting on the ground a few feet from me. There was about twenty of them.

"A Deadly Nadder. Its magnesium-fueled flames are among the hottest in the world" a dark brown-haired girl, named Opal, answered. She's turning out to be my star student. So far, she's never gotten an answer wrong and is a very quick study. She also had a very thick French accent.

"Correct. Now, next question: what is the main diet of a Gronckle?" I asked.

"Rocks" another student, a boy, answered.

"Correct. Okay, last question of the day: What are the 7 classes of dragons?" I asked. Yeah, I left no stone unturned in their education.

"The seven classes are Stoker, Boulder, Sharp, Tidal, Fear, Mystery, and Strike" Opal answered, again.

"Excellent, Opal. Alright, class, that's it for today. Remember: we're focusing on the Sharp Class next week, so be sure to study. Dismissed" I said. The groups leaves, happily chatting amongst themselves. I've really grown into the role of a teacher, surprisingly. As I left the arena, Toothless-who was napping at the back of the arena-bounded up to me and walked at my right side, as always. I walk through the streets, passing by many of our new recruits, who gawk at Toothless, inflating the Night Fury's ego. I passed by Koryn, who was busy making new scarves and other clothes for the new Sky Flyers. I eventually entered Daemun's office, where Daemun and Justin were waiting for me.

"Ah, Hicca! How was class?" Justin asked.

"Good. The students are well on their way to becoming proper dragon riders. But, it'll be hard without dragons for them to tame and bond with" I replied.

"Yeah, Heaven's Peak's dragon population is quite low, but it does allow us to focus on their training first and locate all Dragon Hunter bases" Daemun said. Due to Viggo's cunning and the Sky Fliers lack of exploring outside their own island, our knowledge on Dragon Hunter bases is alarmingly low. So, our first move is simply to focus on preparing the new Sky Fliers, get them well trained, and gather any and all info on the Dragon Hunters.

That's why Allison and Zippy weren't here. They were out seeing what info they could gather at the Northern Markets. I would've gone, myself, but as the one who invented dragon riding, I'm needed here to teach my class and make sure they're ready to become dragon riders.

"So, when the time comes, how will we get each of them their own dragons?" I asked.

"We'll need to travel to another island to do that. Thankfully, I know of a few islands that would work, perfectly" Justin replied, making me smile. A knock came at the door, surprising us. We weren't expecting anyone else.

"Come in" Daemun said. The door opened and Opal entered, making nervous.

"Opal, what are you doing here?" I asked, the most surprised by her appearance.

"Oh, looking for you, Miss Haddock" she replied, playing her waist-length hair, which she normally keeps in a low ponytail. The style really suited her, especially with her icy blue eyes framed by her bangs.

"Why? Do you need help with something?" I asked. I made it clear the the students could come to me if they have any problems that they need help with, whether or not it's related to the lesson I'm teaching.

"Oh, no, ma'am. It's just that me and other members of our class are starting to wonder when we'll get to tame our own dragons. We're starting to get impatient" she said. I nodded in understanding.

"We're working on that, don't you worry about that. You just need to be patient, as it'll be awhile before we can set up a trip. I also want to make sure you're ready to tame your own dragon, as well" I explained, gently. That seemed to satisfy her, but I notice something familiar in her eyes.

"What's wrong?" I asked, placing a hand on her shoulder. She sighs.

"It's this boy in my combat training class, Jonathan. He's very vain and annoying beyond measure. Everytime he sees me, he tries to flirt with me or goad me into fighting him. Miss Bernice always steps in, but he just won't take a hint. I don't even like him, yet he won't take a hint" she explained, trying to keep herself from exploding with anger. I can certainly understand where she's coming from, since this guy sounds exactly like Snotlout, minus the flirting with me thing. That was with Astrid.

"I understand. My cousin, Snotlout, was like this to me and kept trying to get with this girl named Astrid. He and I never got along and he was one of my main bullies. But, I was able to block him out since he was considered annoying by everyone" I said, in a comforting tone of voice.

"So, what do I do?" she asked.

"You said he tries to get you to fight him. Did you ever accept?" I asked. She shook her head.

"Then, why don't you fight him. I've seen your training with Bernice. You're a real prodigy in combat as you are in my class. Perhaps beating him in a fight would be enough to finally get him to back off" I suggested. She looked unsure.

"Hey, don't worry about it. You'll figure it out" I added.

"If you say so, ma'am" Opal said, then left. I let out a small sigh, than return to the task, at hand.

* * *

(THIRD PERSON P.O.V.)

"This is stupid" Allison groaned, slamming her head onto the table, which startled Zippy. They were currently seated at a table inside the tavern at the Northern Markets, after finding no leads on the location of the Dragon Hunters' bases. It was really starting to annoy Allison and Zippy was having trouble keeping her older sister-figure from trying to violently interrogate someone.

"Easy, there, Allison. We've only been here a few days. We just need to be patient" she said, gently. Allison raised her head up enough to glare at the younger girl.

"Do I look the patient type to you?" she asked, sarcastically. Zippy, honestly, didn't know if she should answer that or not. Allison groaned.

"Out of everyone on the blasted island, they picked me?! They know I don't do sneaking!" she exclaimed in a hushed whisper as to not attract attention.

"I'm sure they have their reasons for sending you" Zippy said.

"Easy for you to say. You can just use that adorable face of yours to charm your way out" Allison groaned, again.

"Are… flirting with me?" Zippy asked, a little surprised by Allison's statement.

"Nah, I'm just stating a fact. Don't tell me you never thought yourself as adorable with those brown eyes and your black hair and cute little frame" Allison said, incredulously. Zippy blushed in embarrassment as the statement and rubbed the back of her head with a nervous chuckle. Allison smirked at the meek display. She was the youngest out of all of her siblings, with Justin only being five minutes older. So, being able to tease Zippy like a sister was a welcome thing to her. She always wanted a little sister. Her teasing was cut short when a group of Dragon Hunters entered the tavern, not noticing the two.

"Happy now?" Zippy asked.

"Yes. Let's go" Allison replied, smirking. The dup silently approached the group of Hunters, who were laughing and talking amongst each other.

"Say, did Viggo every give you the updated map?" one of the Hunter asked, exciting the two girls. Another Hunter, likely the leader, smirked and slammed a map onto the table.

"An updated version of the map of all our bases and hideouts, handed out by Viggo himself. Looks like we're finally upping business and making sure those Sky Fliers don't get in the way, again" the leader explained. Allison turned to Zippy and made a silent gesture. Zippy understood it and walked over to the Hunters, who quickly zoomed in on her.

"What do you want, brat? The leader asked, spitefully. Zippy did her best to appear meek.

"Excuse me, sir, but do you know where my mom is?" she asked, stealthily watching Allison snuck up behind them with them noticing.

"No, now get lost!" a Hunter replied, earning chuckles from his friends. It also made them forget about the map still on the table.

"Please, kind sir, could you help me find my mom? She asked, again, surprised by how convincing she was. The Hunter let out a hearty chuckle, allowing Allison to snake her arm between them and swipe the map without them noticing. Allison flashed Zappy a thumbs up and tip toed away as the Hunters stopped laughing.

"No, we won't. Now beat it, kid" the leader. Zippy let out a squeak and rushed off. The two reunited outside the tavern, grinning ear to ear.

"What a bunch of bozos" Allison said, holding the rolled up map.

"Hey, the map's gone!" the leader shouted, loud enough for them to hear it, even from outside the building.

"And that's our queue to leave" she added and the two ran as fast as they could, just as the Hunters burst from the tavern, looking angry. The two managed to reach their mounts without incident and took off. Allison laughed like a loon the whole way, happy to have tricked the Hunters so easily.

* * *

-ONE WEEK LATER-

* * *

Opal sighed, severely dreading this. It was time for her combat class with Bernice. As she walked into the arena, which has been redecorated with combat equipment, she can already feel Jonathan's grubby hands on her shoulders. Despite Hicca's reassurance, she still felt nervous about this. She quickly noticed that everyone else was already here. Bernice stood on a small stage, her spear in hand. To her surprise, Hicca was next to the Spartan girl.

"Alright class. This training session will be a little different and Hicca, here, will be helping with the lesson. You have five minutes to grab your training gear" Bernice said. This was rather unusual. Hicca and Bernice never taught together, before. They usually rotated with each one teaching the class for about a week before switching over. So, the fact they're doing this together is highly unusual. Opal didn't dwell on it, too long, and went over to put on her training gear, which include knee and elbow pads, a helmet, and arm and shin guards. However, as she went to grab the training sword, she heard his voice.

"Hey, there, beautiful. Miss me?" Jonathan asked, trying to sound suave, even when his messy black hair and ruffled appearance suggested otherwise.

"No, Jonathan, I didn't" she replied, already sounding annoyed.

"Oh, don't be like that. You know you want me" he said, not getting the hint. Before either could speak again, a spear landed, tip first, between them, much to their surprise. It took Opal a second to recognize that as Bernice's spear.

"Hands to yourself, Jonathan. Hicca clued me in on what you've been doing" she shouted, still on the stage, while Hicca sent to boy a disapproving glare, which caused Jonathan to back down and leave. Opal mouthed a 'thank you' to Hicca, who smiled in return. Everyone lined up and was ready to go.

"Okay, everyone, as I said: today's lesson will be a little different. As this was Hicca's idea, I'll let her explain it" Bernice said, allowing the Viking girl center stage.

"Thank you, Bernice. For most of your classes, you've been practicing against specialized training dummies, but today we're doing something different: live sparring matches" she said, surprising many of the students. Opal's eyes widen in shock, realizing what spurred this change: her conversation with Hicca. Well, too late to back out of it, now.

"On Berk, it's normal for the young Vikings to have sparring matches, either as a test of strength and combat prowess or just a simple pastime. Training dummies can only get you, so far, especially since we're facing Human opponents, and nothing beats hands-on experience" Hicca explained.

"Right, we'll do three matches a day, and the combatants will be selected by me. We'll only do one, today, as an introduction. Now, for our match-up…" Bernice trailed off, looking among the group. Opal noticed her glancing at Hicca, who gave a nod to the Spartan. What were they planning?

"Alright, our match up is Jonathan and Opal" she said, making Opal groan internally. Jonathan smirked evilly. Everyone formed a large circle around the two and Bernice between in between them.

"Okay, this will primarily be hand-to-hand combat and the match will end when one fighter either gives up or is unable to keep fighting. Any questions?" Bernice asked. Opal wanted to protest against this, but a look from Hicca made her stay quiet, not out of fear but rather some sort of reassurance from Hicca's expression. Opal sighs and gets into fighting stance. Jonathan does the same.

"Good… Begin!" Bernice shouted and stepped back. Jonathan charged like the aggressive, reckless idiot he is and tried to punch Opal, but Opal was a nimble and speedy fighter and was able to dodge all of his blows, much to his frustration. She kept dodging, as she was certain her small frame wasn't enough to land a decent blow on Jonathan's much larger body. However, she made a mistake and nearly lost her footing trying to dodge another blow. Thankfully, a couple of her classmates caught her and helped her to her feet.

"You little-" Jonathan began, but Bernice stopped him. Any protests from him were silenced by her glare.

"Okay, class, Opal has demonstrated that, no matter how strong you are, it's completely useless if you can't land a hit on your opponent. However, simply dodging their attacks won't be enough to win fights. You'll need to also hit back" Bernice explained, slamming the butt of her spear on the ground. Opal gulped, knowing she's going to lose to him.

"Before going on, mind if I have a talk with Opal?" Hicca asked, going up to the girl in question. With a nod of approval from Bernice, Hicca lead the duo away from the crowd.

"Opal, how come you aren't fighting back?" she asked, once they were out of earshot.

"Have you seen Jonathan? He's too big for me to handle, on my own. I'm just a scrawny matchstick" Opal said. For a brief moment, an glint of pain and understanding appeared in Hicca's eyes.

"I know that feeling, all to well, Opal. I'm tiny compared to most members of my tribe, so I was often looked down upon, for that. But, now I can probably even take on the strongest warrior in my age group on Berk. Size has nothing to do with fighting ability. You've shown to be a very nimble fighter and Bernice has told me your kicks are second to none in her class" Hicca explained. Opal blushed.

"Oh, I wouldn't say I'm that good" she said, shyly.

"You are. And I know you can beat Jonathan, but you need to fight back to do so" Hicca said.

"Can I really beat him?" Opal asked, hopefully.

"Of course. I know Jonathan's type: They're all bark and no bite" Hicca said. Opal was still a bit unsure, but since Hicca-her idol-was stating she can beat Jonathan, then she'll, at least, try. With more determination, she nodded in confirmation. With that, the duo headed back and Opal returned to the ring and assumed a fighting stance. Jonathan, still cocky, got ready, as well. As before, Jonathan charged forward, but Opal easily dodged and even deflected his attacks with some well-placed kicks. Eventually, she went on the offensive, using a barrage of twirls, spins, and even some flips to confuse Jonathan and land several solid hits on him before finishing him off with a punt to the stomach.

Jonathan rolled on the ground until stopping a good few feet away, completely dazed. The crowd cheered for Opal's victory while Hicca and Bernice smiled with pride. None of them noticed Jonathan getting back up and, in a fit of rage, charged to get back at Opal. Hicca, however, spotted him and intercepted the boy. She then proceeded to take him down in three well-placed strikes to the stomach, chest, and face, knocking him out. Everyone stared at Hicca, dumbstruck that someone with such a lithe frame could be so strong. Bernice wasn't surprised. She trained Hicca, after all.

"We'll need to set him with some discipline training. He's quickly way too aggressive to be a Sky Flier, at the moment" Hicca said, turning to the group.

"Agreed. I'll have Allison handle that. Okay, back to regular training for the rest of class" Bernice said.

"Before you go, I have an important announcement to make: I have been talking with Daemun and Justin all week on this and we finally found the perfect island" Hicca said. Everyone was confused, but the smarter students immediately caught on.

"Wait, you don't mean…" one gasped. Hicca smiled, widely.

"Pack your bags, because next week, we're getting you you're very own dragons" she said.

* * *

 **My next chapter is out, people! And I'm branching off with new characters, as well. I'm hoping to have Opal and a few other OCs become more prominent, especially in sequel stories.**

 **And I'm still accepting suggestions, so keep sending them, and don't be afraid to get REALLY creative or detailed with your ideas! And that goes double for you, Mariah!**

 **Until next time.**


	17. Rescue

(THIRD PERSON P.O.V.)

Today was the big day. Today, Opal and her class were going to tame and ride dragons. Everyone was beyond excited since the big announcement three days ago. Jonathan was placed into a special discipline class under Allison, as the teachers agreed, and won't be getting a dragon until he can keep his temper under control. Everyone else was busy packing everything they'll need for the trip. The class met at the newly built docks and boarded a large boat with Hicca and Justin, off to an unknown destination. Opal approached Hicca, who was petting Toothless.

"Miss Haddock, where will we be going?" she asked.

"That was a tough one, as we had to find an island that had both a variety of dragons and no Dragon Hunter presence on it. That was a tall order, which was why it took so long to plan this trip" she replied.

"Thankfully, we found three such islands close by that fit those two requirements. We'll be heading the largest of them, first, and work our way between them until everyone has their own dragon" Justin said, unrolling a map.

"We should arrive in an hour, so get ready. I'll explain everything when we arrive" Hicca said. Satisfied, Opal went over to a group of classmates who were excitedly talking amongst each other.

"Oh, I hope I get a really cool dragon, like a Monstrous Nightmare!" a boy exclaimed.

"Oh, dream on. A Whispering Death is what you should really look for" a girl said with a scoff.

"Ha! You're both wrong. You should get a Scauldron" another girl said with a big smirk, enraging the other other two. Another boy saw Opal sit down with them.

"So, what dragon will you get, Opal?" he asked.

"I'm not really sure. There are so many of them, and we don't even know what breeds are on the island" she replied.

"Oh, come on, there's gotta be one you really want" the girl who wanted a Monstrous Nightmare said, nudging Opal's shoulder. Opal blushed.

"Well, I would like to have a Strike Class dragon, like Miss Haddock, but she said they're very rare" she replied.

"Just like the teacher's pet to choose something Hicca likes" a boy commented. Opal blushed, a little embarrassed by the light jab. None of her classmates were angry or envious of her status as "the teacher's pet" as Hicca tried not to play favorites with her class. She was just a natural born dragon rider, it seemed.

* * *

They eventually arrived at the first island and hopped off the boat. They all stood before the forest, but did not go in.

"Alright, here's how this will work: Each of you will head into the forest and search for a dragon tame. You can either go in alone or with friends and once you have your dragon, you will return to this beach. Once all students have returned, those that have their dragons will return to Heaven's peak while those that don't will head to the other islands" Hicca explained.

"Before you go, here's something for all of you" Justin said and handed out horns to the entire class.

"Not all dragons are friendly, so if you find yourself in trouble, blow these horns and we will come to help you. But, only blow them if you can't handle it yourself. We don't want any false alarms. Understood?" Justin asked. Everyone nodded.

"Good. Now, go find your dragons" Hicca said. With that, the group headed into the forest. As they got deeper in, many broke off in many different directions. Opal eventually found herself alone and wandered aimlessly through the forest, not sure where to go or where to look. She wasn't even sure what Class of dragon she wants, so finding a dragon will be a bit difficult for her.

' _Don't think negatively, Opal. You've studied hard for this and you will find an amazing dragon_ ' as Opal mentally prepared herself, she failed to notice the the eyes watching her from the shadows. She just kept on walking, using the tracking skills she learned from Bernice. So far, she's found no tracks belong to a dragon. She found some boar tracks, though. She came up to a large watering hole and decided to wait to see if any dragons showed up for a drink.

* * *

(HICCA'S P.O.V.)

"Okay, so far, most of the students have gotten dragons I'm familiar with" I mused, looking at he ten students that have come back. It had been two hours since they went in and half of them had already returned. Most of them got dragons I've seen before, since as Deadly Nadders, Monstrous Nightmares, and even a Scauldron. They seemed pretty happy with their choices, happily bonding and playing with their new dragons.

"Things are going by pretty fast. We've barely hit two hours and already half the class has found and tamed a dragon" Justin commented.

"True. They seem to have a knack for dragon riding" I said.

"Or you're just that good a teacher" Justin suggested with a smirk. I blushed in mild embarrassment. Then, I remembered something.

"Hey, wasn't this island labeled dangerous?" I asked.

"Yeah. It was mainly because of a new species of dragon that was extremely tough and aggressive that lived here. Thankfully, it's seems to have moved on, but it could be still lurking around. That's why I gave them those horns. Better safe than sorry" Justin explained. I nodded.

"Right. I'll do a sweep of the island, as well. Could you stay here and watch over the boat?" I asked.

"Roger" Justin said. I mounted Toothless and took off.

* * *

(THIRD PERSON P.O.V.)

Opal had been sitting at this pond for three hours, now. And nothing showed. Not even a rabbit. It's as if this pond was abandoned. Groaning in frustration, Opal flopped onto her back and stared up at the sky, which was starting to darken as the sun went down. She didn't understand why she hasn't run into a dragon of any kind, yet. Guess, she wasn't meant to become a dragon rider, afterall. Deciding to cut her loses, Opal stood up and began to head back the beach.

However, a growl made ehr stop in her tracks. Slowly turning around, her blood froze as she spotted a strange, four-winged red dragon on top of a hill. It wasn't like any dragon she's seen before and it didn't look happy, either. Startled, Opal tripped and tried to scoot away, but the dragon landed in front of her and pinned her down with its claw. The dragon glared at her and got ready to fry her.

' _Is this how I'm going to die?_ ' before the dragon could attack, a roar echoed through the air and the dragon was knocked off of Opal by some unseen force, slamming into a nearby tree with enough force to break it in two. Opal looked up and saw a massive dragon that also had four wings and an owl-like face. The new dragon roared at its adversary before turning to Opal, a gentle look at its face. Opal smiled in gratitude before the enemy dragon got up and, shockingly, launched a fireball from its tail. The friendly dragon used one of its wings to shield Opal from the blast and charged the enemy dragon.

The two engaged in a wrestling match. Despite the owl-like dragon having the edge in sheer size, the enemy dragon was ferocious and unrelenting in its assault. After a long bout, the enemy dragon managed to pin the friendly one by its neck and prepared to finish it. Opal's eyes widen as she frantically searched for something to distract the beast. Her eyes fell on the horn. Without hesitation, she threw the horn at the dragon, hitting square in the head, slightly dazing it and causing it to focus on Opal. The owl dragon, seeing an opening, pushed its enemy off and launched a fire tornado at it. The torrent hit the enemy dragon head on, sending it quite a distance away. It got back up and lunged forward, but the owl like dragon easily swatted it away with its tail, again knocking it to the ground. However, it got back up, looking more angry than hurt.

"This thing just won't quit. We need back up" Opal muttered. Since the horn was now smashed thanks to throwing it at the dragon, she couldn't call for reinforcements that way. An idea hit her, though. She turned to her saviour.

"Okay, I know we just met, but I need use that fire tornado of yours and blast it into the sky. Can you do that?" she asked. The dragon looked her in the eyes and sent a mighty blast of fire high into the air, stunning both Opal and the other dragon. Once it stopped, everything was quiet. The enemy dragon started to slowly advance on the two. Suddenly, a familiar plasma blast slammed in front of it, stopping it in its tracks. Surprised, Opal looked up and saw Hicca and Toothless rocketing in from the sky.

Toothless performed a barrel roll while firing multiple plasma blasts, several of which hit the enemy dragon, which the owl dragon followed up with another fire tornado. To Opal's surprise, Hicca leapt off of Toothless and used the momentum of her fall to slam a powerful kick right into the dragon's face, knocking it to the ground. Hicca rolled into a crouch and glared at the dragon. Toothless followed his rider's example and tackled the stunned dragon. The two rolled before engaging in a wrestling match. The owl dragon joined in and worked together to take down the enemy dragon.

Finally, after receiving a mighty uppercut from Toothless, the owl dragon used one of its upper wings to pin the villainous dragon the ground. Toothless and the wl dragon growled their opponent to keep fighting. Realizing it's beat, the dragon gave up and, after being let go, took off. Once it was out of sight, Hicca rushed over to Opal.

"Opal! Are you okay? Anything broken?" she asked, worriedly.

"No. Just shaken up, that's all. This dragon saved me before anything bad could happen" Opal replied, looking at the dragon with gratitude.

"Why didn't you blow your horn?" Hicca asked. Opal blushed.

"I wasn't thinking straight and I kind of threw it at the other dragon" she said, nervously. Hicca shook her head, a smile on her lips. She turned to the new dragon.

"Well, he's a big one" she commented. The dragon growled, seemingly taken offense. Hicca backed up and held up her arms in defense.

"Uh, she?" she asked, nervously. The dragon calmed down. She then turned to Opal and looked at her with curious eyes. Confused, Opal looked at Hicca, who made a gesture with her head. Nervously, Opal held out her hand and pressed it against the dragon's snout. Almost as soon as her palm touched the dragon's scales, a connection formed between them, forged and strengthened by their fight just moments before.

"It seems you have found your dragon. And you found one I've never seen, before, too. What are you going to name her?" Hicca asked. Opal already thought of a name.

"Rescue. I'll name her Rescue" she said, firmly.

"I like it. It fits her" Hicca said. The newly named Rescue nuzzled Opal, almost purring in a way.

"She seems to like it, too" Opal said with a giggle.

"Come on, let's head back" Hicca said and mounted Toothless. With some trouble, Opal managed to sit on Rescue's neck, behind the crown of spines she had. The two took off. Opal was a little clumsy and uncomfortable, since this was her first time flying and honest-to-goodness dragon. But, she enjoyed it all the same.

* * *

When the returned, most of the students had their own dragons and they all took off on their new mounts back to Heaven's Peak. Justin and a few others stayed behind to bring the ship back, as well. The next few days was filled with crafting saddles for the dragons, giving each new rider an official Sky Flier cape, teaching the riders aerial combat, and strengthening the bonds between the dragons and their mounts. Due to Rescue being a never-before-seen dragon, Opal gained a bit of popularity, which surprised her a bit.

Opal was enjoying a small stroll through Heaven's Peak one morning, simply minding her own business. She felt quite proud of herself. First, she finally got Jonathan off her back and now she has an amazing and loyal Dragon companion. She felt very happy.

"YOU!" Sadly, that sadness is gone. Opal turned to see a very angry Jonathan stomping towards her.

"Shouldn't you be with Allison, right now?" she asked, curiously. Jonathan ignored her question, though.

"Though you could humiliate me, like that, did you? Robbed me of my one chance to really impress the teach because you couldn't share" he exclaimed, which confused her even more. Opal wasn't trying to have Hicca all to herself. Hicca already has a girlfriend and isn't even interested in blowhards like Jonathan.

"I didn't do any of that. That whole sparring match and me fighting you was all Hicca's idea so I would fight you" she explained. Hicca was okay with Opal sharing this, so she saw no reason to hide it.

"Do you think I'm stupid?! I know you wanted her to yourself, you pest!" he exclaimed and grabbed Opal by her hair, making her yelp in shock.

"Now, we're going to march right into the boss's office and you're going to him you'll be quitting and that you stole my chance at being a Sky Flier or I'll-" his threat was cut off by a harsh growling. He turned and saw a very angry Rescue standing over him, ready to cook the young boy alive. Jonathan was pretty sure he needed a new pair of underwear, now.

"She was telling the truth, you know" Hicca said, coming into view and looking very disappointed.

"What?" he asked, dumbly, letting go of Opal as he did.

"I _did_ set up those sparring matches with the idea of coaxing Opal into fighting you, after she told me that you kept bothering her" she explained, glaring fiercely at the boy.

"I had placed in discipline training in the hopes of helping you learn how to reign in your temper and less redeemable qualities. But, then, you go and _threaten_ my star student into quitting something she worked hard for all because of petty jealousy… Not even Snotlout was this cruel" Hicca said with a scoff.

* * *

Back on Berk, Snotlout suddenly sneezed for no apparent reason. He also felt inexplicably insulted, as well.

* * *

"Come on, teach! Give me another chance! I'll prove to you I'll be good!" Jonathan begged, really hoping to stay on Hicca's good side. The glare she gave him shut down that idea.

"I already give you a second chance and you blew it with your recklessness! I'm sorry, Jonathan, but it's obvious you're not Sky Flier material" she said, her voice leaving no room for argument. Jonathan stared at her, dumbfounded. He was brought out of his stupor when Rescue picked him up by his shirt and unceremoniously tossed him into a nearby pond. The two girls laughed at the sight.

"Thank you, miss Haddock. I was certain I'd never get rid of him" Opal said.

"No problem, Opal. Come on, let's head to the mess hall and forget all about this" Hicca said. Opal nodded and the two girls walked off, Rescue following close behind. Jonathan burst from the pond, soaking wet. He glared at the two girls with a burning hatred.

"You haven't heard the last of me! I'll be back!" he shouted.

"No, you won't" Jonathan's blood ran cold as he recognized the voice. He turned saw Allison sitting a rock, sharpening a knife. He found it hard to believe that this sadistic nutcase of a girl was related to the sweet and patient Justin.

"You heard her, Jonny boy. You're becoming a Sky Flier. So, you have no reason to be here… And I'm going to make sure you don't try anything… _My_ way" she said, laughing evilly.

It was at this moment, Jonathan knew… he goofed up!

* * *

 **Welp, Jonathan's in for it now! Also, Rescue is a Stormcutter and the dragon she fought off was a Singetail.**

 **And keep sending suggestions, people! I'm also really eager to hear from you, again, Mariah! So keep reviewing!**


	18. Battle for Heaven's Peak

(HICCA'S P.O.V.)

Well, today's the day. After an entire month of training, preparing, and planning, we're finally going to put a stop to the Dragon Hunters' plans. Me and Allison were leading one of the first strikes on a base where Viggo was to be meeting a couple of his associates, which we heard thanks to some inside intel. We were going to eavesdrop on their meeting, learn their plan, then blow the abse sky high. Surprisingly, sneaking in wasn't an issue and we managed to hide in a dark corner covered up by a lot of crates, allowing us to stay hidden. Now, all we had to do was wait.

"Ugh, this is stupid! I still don't do sneaking!" Allison groaned. We've been here for an hour, now, and no one's showed up, yet.

"It's only been an hour, Allison. Just be-" I started, but she cut me off with a glare.

"Finish that sentence. I dare you" she growled. I wisely shut up. We heard noises and we looked to see Viggo and Ryker enter. Following them was a tall man in a cloak, who looked even more menacing than either of them. Next, it was-

"Johann?!" I whispered. Yes, it was indeed Johann. However, there was something different about him. He no longer had that cheerful, friendly, yet eccentric demeanor I've come to know. Now, he had an aura of ruthlessness, ferocity, and villainy.

"You know that cook?" Allison asked.

"Yes. He's a trader who regularly visits islands to trade various items and tell outrageous stories that I'm pretty sure he made up to impress people" I explained.

"What's a guy like that doing here?" she asked.

"We have lost three entire bases full of Dragons in the last few days. All of them destroyed and our men scattered and/or missing" Ryker explained.

"Yes, the Sky Fliers, no doubt. It seems they've restarted their war with us" Viggo stated, looking over a map while X-ing out one of the bases on it.

"They sound like quite the nuisance" the man said in a deep voice.

"And, yet, you've failed to get rid of them. You know where their island is, so why don't teach them a lesson?" Johann asked/demanded, sounding nothing like he did before. Viggo turned to him.

"It's not as simple as you think, Johann. The Sky Fliers have many skilled fighters and live on one of the most treacherous islands I've ever seen. With the addition of their flying griffin mounts, attacking them would be far too costly" Viggo explained.

"Not to mention our men have reported they are now employing dragons and weapons with unrealistic durability and possessing strange powers. They've grown too strong for us to handle without leveling the playing field" Ryker added.

"Then, we are fortunate my little side project has been quite successful" the man said with a sinister smile. That line sent a chill down my spine.

"Yes, Krogan. The Dragon Fliers, as you call them, may be just the edge we need" Viggo said with a smile of his own. Our eyes widen at what they said.

"You don't think they-" Allison whispered.

"They must have. They've found a way to train their own dragons and ride them, like us" I said, grmly. This is bad. Heaven's Peak's main advantage against invasion was that it's forests were too dense and dangerous for an army to enter without any knowledge on the area. If they really have found a way to train dragons, then they fly over the forests and attack the towns directly while also engaging our own forces.

"When will they be ready to fly, Krogan?" Johann asked.

"By the end of the day. And they already know what to do when they are ready" Krogan replied. Johann smiled wickedly.

"That is excellent news. With them out of the way, we can continue our search for the King of Dragons" he said, making us confused. There's a King of Dragons?

"You forget, we still require the Dragon Eye for that" Krogan stated.

"I have men searching for its whereabouts, even as we speak. If they find any leads, you will be the first to know" Viggo reassured them. Then, they started talking about other stuff, but we heard enough. Allison pulled out a smoke bomb Justin gave her.

"Ready to blow this joint?" she asked me. I pull up my hood and mask-gifts from Koryn to help conceal my identity-and nod. She tossed the bomb and it exploded, filling the room with smoke and startling the four. While they were distracted, we rushed out and called for our dragons. The Dragon Hunters were already on us, but we quickly took off as fast we could. Daemun needed to hear this, stat.

* * *

We arrived just as the sun was setting and literally burst into Daemun's office, startling him and Blade-who was also there. We panted, as we had ran all the way here. Daemun did not like the looks on our faces.

"What's wrong?" he asked.

"We've got a lot of bad news, Dae" Allison said.

"The most important is that Heaven's Peak will be attacked, soon" I said. Deamun looked surprised.

"What? How?" he asked, dumbfounded.

"I thought they wouldn't risk their men trying to brave the jungle" Blade said.

"They figured out how to ride dragons, as well. From what we heard, they could attack at any moment" right as I said that, the whole building shook, nearly knocking us to our feet. Outside, we heard shouting and Bernice barged in, looking shocked.

"We've got trouble!" she exclaimed. He stood up.

"I want every available Sky Flier in the air, now! We can't let Viggo and his subjugated dragons take this fort!" he exclaimed. We rushed outside and saw it was utter chaos. People were running about as fire rained down from above. What shocked me was the fact there was a number of Singetails flying above us. Guess they someone found a way to control them. I heard a familiar scream and saw Koryn running through the streets before tripping just as a slab of stone was about to fall on her.

My legs went into autopilot as I dashed forward and managed to tackle her out of the way. We rolled before stopping with me on top of Koryn. She was both scared and relieved. So was I. I had almost the love of my life.

"You okay?" I asked.

"Y-yeah" she said, breathless. I heard growling and spot Toothless staring at me and gesturing to the sky. I get the message. I stand up and then help Koryn to her feet.

"Koryn, I need to help get everyone to safety. We'll handle these invaders" I said, heading towards Toothless. Koryn grabbed my hand, stopping me in my track, and looked very worried for me.

"Please, be careful. I can't bear the thought of losing you" she said, her voice cracking. I smiled reassuringly at her.

"Don't worry. I won't die. I have a lot of come back to" I said. She nodded, let's go of my hand, and runs off to help evacuate. I look at Toothless, who looked determined. With that, I mount him and we take off into the sky. A couple of these so-called Dragon Fliers charge at me, but these guys were newbies and were easily taken out by a couple plasma blasts. The Singetails fly off, having no reason to stay, now.

"A Night Fury! Quite a prize" a familiar voice. I turn and spot that man-Krogan-riding on a massive, red Singetail. It must be a Titan Wing. He had a two-handed axe in his hand.

"You think that by attacking our home, you'll stop us? We won't stop until ever dragon you have captured is freed, Krogan!" I shouted, drawing Inferno. Krogan chuckled and we charged, ready to fight for Heaven's Peak.

* * *

(THIRD PERSON P.O.V.)

On the ground, Opal and her classmates were running through the streets, trying to get to their dragons, that were being kept in a nearby stable area.

"Hurry, hurry! Our home needs us!" she shouted. She heard a grunt and saw a girl fall down, a knife jabbed into her back. She quickly rushes to her side and was relieved to see she was still breathing and the wound wasn't fatal.

"Well, well, if isn't Hicca's little pet!" a familiar voice shouted. Opal looked up and saw Jonathan standing on a ledge. He had a few scars on his faces thanks to Allison, but was alright. However, seeing her tormentor made Opal's blood boil.

"What are you doing here?!" she growled. He hopped down and pulled out a long dagger.

"I'm here to settle a score and get some payback for all that you did to me" he said, glaring at Opal.

"You did that to yourself, Jonathan. You an arrogant blowhard that wasn't cut out for this" she said. He looked barely able to contain his anger.

"I didn't ask for your opinion, you little wretch! You robbed me of my chance at greatness by beating me up! Now, you'll pay, and so will Haddock, after all of this!" he exclaimed. That's when something in Opal snapped and, with a primal cry, rushed forward and delivered a mighty ax kick. Jonathan dodged it and tried to slash her. Opal nimbly the dodged the blade and unleashed a barrage of spin kicks, which Jonathan couldn't block and sent sliding across the ground. Opal glared at him.

"You will _not_ hurt Miss Haddock!" she exclaimed, firmly. Jonathan spat out some dirt.

"You sound as if you love her, don't you?! Well, too bad a little twerp like you doesn't stand a chance of earning her love, especially since you're a _girl_ " he spat. Opal looked at him with disbelief. How dense was this guy?

"First off, I'm straight. Second, I'm not in love with her. And thirdly, you _do_ know she's dating a girl, herself, right?" she asked.

"Only because she's delusional. Once she comes to her senses, Haddock will beg to my by wife!" he exclaimed. It took every ounce of will power Opal ahd not to facepalm.

"You're the one that's delusional! And, frankly, I don't have time for this! My people need me in the air" Opal said as she prepared to leave.

"You're not going, anywhere!" Jonathan charged and tackled Opal to the ground. He then began savagely beating her, using his superior size to keep her pinned. Opal managed to knee him in the gut and push him off. She stood up and wiped the blood dripping from her nose. She glared the boy. Jonathan charged again, but Opal was ready and the two engaged in a vicious dance filled with kicks and punches. However, Jonathan managed to gain the upper hand by headbutting Opal and kneeing her in the gut. As she kneeled, trying to catch her breath, Jonathan raised his knife, ready to finish this. However, something rushed him from behind, knocking him away several feet.

Shocked, Jonathan looked up and saw Blade standing in front of Opal, his hammer ready to go.

"It isn't polite to hit a girl, you know" he said, cheekily. Enraged, Jonathan charged. However, Blade easily deflected his attacks and hit back, alternating between his hammer and his fist. Jonathan was a pretty good fighter, but Blade was better, especially with his Vibranium hammer. The two got into a deadlock, glaring fiercely at each other. Suddenly, Jonathan punched Blade in the gut, knocking the wind out of him. He was about to finished the ruby-eyed boy off, but Opal appeared and kicked him away. The two shared a brief glance and charged forward, together.

The duo worked like a tag-team, easily attacking Jonathan and blocking his attacks in perfect sink. They soon had Jonathan pinned against a ledge. Nervously, he looked down and saw it was a long way down. He glared at the duo.

"It's over, Jonathan! You've lost" Opal said. Jonathan glared at the girl.

"Not yet" he said and charged with a fearsome battle cry. Blade, reacting quickly, slammed his hammer into Jonathan. The swing had enough force to send send Jonathan stumbling over the edge, falling to his death. The two watched on with neutral expression. Then, Blade turned to Opal.

"We make a pretty good team" he said. Opal blushed and began playing with her hair. A roar snapped her out of it and made her remember she needed to get in the air.

"They need every flier in the air, Blade. There's an injured girl back there, can you take take care of her?" she asked. Blade nodded and ran over to the girl, carefully removing the dagger from her back. Opal, meanwhile, rushed off to get Rescue.

* * *

"I really hate Dragon Hunters, especially _flying_ ones!" Allison exclaimed, firing arrows at any Dragon Flier that came into range. Behind her was an injured Pierce, his wing broken from a nasty from some debris. Thankfully, being an archer, she could help from the ground, but she was starting to run low on arrows. She stopped firing after hearing a familiar chuckle.

Ryker Grimborn casually approached the girl, one of his swords dragging along the ground in a menacing manner. Allison glared at the man who killed her father.

" _You_ " she growled out with as much venom she could muster.

"You remember me" he said, not at all phased.

"How could I forget the man who killed my dad and had me branded?" she asked rhetorically, glancing at the brand mark on her shoulder.

"I wouldn't be so upset. You're about to join him, in the afterlife" Ryker said, drawing his other sword. Allison glared at the man, ready to fight. He chuckled.

"Look at you: nearly out of arrows, your dragon injured, and you're all alone" he said.

"Don't be so sure of that, Ryker!" Justin exclaimed, appearing next to Allison, boomerang in hand. Ryker just scoffed and charged. The twins dodged the blow and, with expert precision and synchronicity, fought the much larger and more experience adult. Everytime he went after one, the other would come to their defence, leaving him open to two strikes, at once. It was incredibly frustrating for Ryker. How can these two brats cause him more trouble than their old man ever could?

"Did you really think you could just kill our father, imprison innocent dragons, and attack our home and not pay the price?" Justin asked, delivering a barrage of strikes to Ryker's chest. Before he could attack the boy, Allison tripped him up with a leg sweep.

"Or think the two of us would be a walk in the park?" she asked with a smirk. Ryker grunted and, before she react, grabbed Allison by her neck and raised one of his swords.

"Allison!" Justin exclaimed and grabbed Ryker's arm. Ryker responds by slamming Justin onto the ground, causing him to let go of his arm. Allison sued this distraction to kick Ryker in the gut, making him let go. However, as Justin was getting up, dazed, Ryker slashed with his sword, sending him flying into a wall and leaving a nasty gash across his stomach.

"Justin!" Allison cried out in horror, rushing over to her brother's side. She gently cradles him in her arms, not even caring she's now openly crying.

"No, no, no! Justin! I can't lose you, too!" she sobbed out, fearing she lose yet another family member to Ryker. Justin groaned in pain.

"I'm… not dying, today, sis…" he grunted out.

"Oh, I'm afraid you are, you little brat" Ryker said. He heard a hissing sound. He looked down and saw a bomb just as its fuse ran out. The bomb exploded, sending Ryker flying into a wall, which crumbled on top of him, burying him alive. Allison stared in shock. She knew Justin didn't carry explosives, like that. So, why-

"Heh, even I can be a bit vengeful, at times. I've been saving that special bomb just for Ryker" Justin explained, then hissed in pain.

"Easy, bro. You're injured. Just rest" she said, sounding surprisingly calm and gentle. Internally, though, she panicking at the thought of losing her twin brother. She felt Justin clasp one of her hands, instantly soothing her.

* * *

(HICCA'S P.O.V.)

My aerial struggle with Korgan was still raging. Despite not having ridden his Singetaill for as long as I have with Toothless, he was doing quite well. The fact it's a Titan Wing Singetail does give him an edge. A regular one is fearsome enough, but this one is larger and seems to have more firepower. But, it was nighttime and I was riding a Night Fury, so I'm pretty sure we had the upper hand. All around us, Sky Fliers and Dragon Fliers clashed with fangs, teeth, beaks, claws, talons, and fire, making it absolute chaas. One thing to note is we're slowly, but surely, winning.

We dodge another fireblast from Krogan's Singetaill.

"Give it up, Krogan! You're Dragon Fliers aren't able to keep up with us" I shouted.

"Oh, I assure, we are more than adequate to take you all on" he said, confidently. I glance up at the thick clouds above.

"I wouldn't be so sure of that. Alright, bud, it's time to disappear!" I shouted. We climbed into the sky, vanishing in the clouds, leaving Krogan confused. As he searched for me, we dived down at full speed and unleashed multiple plasma blasts. Several of them hit their marks, but the Singetail was still going and none of them had hit Krogan. We sped by, allowing me to see Krogan's hate-filled glare.

"Do you really think you can defeat a Night Fury on a cloudy night?! We're in our element!" I shouted. Korgan growled and his Singetail fired in all directions. We were barely able to dodge to blast. One hits Toothless's fake tailfin, but I had upgraded it to make it fireproof. Pretty smart move, if I do say so, myself.

"You and your pathetic Sky Fliers will fall, today!" he shouted.

"That's where you're wrong!" Heather shouted, coming at him from behind. Before he could react, she socked him right in the face with her fist. Due to coming at him at amazing speed and Heather's above-average strength, he was knocked clean off. As he fell, the Singetail, instead of flying away, dived after him and managed to catch him.

"He bonded with that Singetail?!" Heather exclaimed in shocked.

"That'll be a problem" I said. He levels with me and sends me another glare. Heather flies to my side. He notices that most of his Dragon Fliers were beaten, thanks to Opal and her classmates flying in in their dragons, fresh and ready to go. Rescue, due to her size, easily tore through the Dragon Fliers.

"As I said, Krogan, we're winning" I said, glaring at the moment. Krogan scoffed.

"Dragon Fliers, retreat!" he shouted and flew off. The remaining Dragon Fliers followed as the Sky Fliers cheered. We all landed, tired by alive. Heather came up and gave me a big hug.

'We did it, Hicca! We won!" she exclaimed.

"Yes, we did" I said, returning the hug. We break the hug just as Justin, who was being supported by Allison, came up to us.

"This has been one eventful evening" he said, holding his bleeding stomach. I look at him in concern.

"Are you alright?" I asked, worriedly.

"I think so, though I'll likely be bedridden for a while" he replied.

"Come on, let's go see the doc" Allison said, leading him away to get him patched up. Daemun came up to us.

"This is a mighty victory for us all! We not only fought off the Dragon Hunters with their enslaved dragons, but we also managed to kill Ryker Grimborn! Viggo and his allies will certainly think twice about attacking us, again" he shouted, earning cheers from us. We spend the rest of the night cleaning up the mess that was made. Those Dragon Fliers certain did a number on this place, that's for sure.

* * *

The next day, me, Bernice, a bandaged Justin, Blade, and Daemun met in his office-or what's left of it-where I explained what else I heard at that meeting and to discuss what to do now that Viggo and Krogan can match us in an aerial fight.

"So, they're looking for this King of Dragons and Dragon Eye?" Daemun asked.

"Yeah. They didn't go into detail about that, so I don't know what they plan to do with those" I said.

"Nothing good, I'm sure" Bernice said.

"Thankfully, they don't know where either is, so that's good" Justin said, sitting in a chair as to not agitate his wound.

"But, they are searching for it and they likely know the Dragon Eye looks like" I said. Daemun sat there, in thought, but standing up.

"Then, our best course of action would be to secure allies with other tribes. We'll need all of the help we can get" he said.

"Are there any tribes friendly to dragons, out there?" I asked. Most tribes in the archipelago were hostile to dragons.

"Possibly, but finding them will not be easy" Justin said.

"And then there's this Johann. If what Hicca says about him is true, then he's serving as an inside man for Viggo and Krogan with numerous tribes, likely in search for the items they need" Daemun said.

"And he knows Hicca, which is a big problem" Bernice said.

"Yes, if he sees me, he'll likely inform Stoick and he'll come looking for me, throwing a complication our way. I can wear a helmet or mask to disguise myself, though" I said.

"You do that… Mark my words, though, we have just stepped into a war for the fate of all dragons. One we need to win" Deamun said with determination.

* * *

I found myself staring at the horizon on top of a house's roof, lost in my own world. I didn't even notice the presence that sat beside me.

"You okay, Hicca?" the concerned voice of Koryn asked, snapping me out of my thoughts. I lock eyes with her.

"I am, just thinking. So much has changed in one night. The stakes are higher than ever, now" I said. Koryn lays her head on my shoulder.

"Yeah, but I'm sure you'll win, in the end" she said. I stare at her.

"How can you be so sure of that?" I asked. She shrugs.

"I just have this feeling" she said, simply. I chuckle.

"You're such an optimist, Koryn" I said. We stay like this for who-knows-how long, just enjoying each other's presence.

"I'm glad I met you, Koryn. You're one of the many reasons I fight for" I said.

"I hope I'm one, as well" Heather said, coming out of nowhere and sitting on the other side of me.

"Listen, Hicca, I know we're facing some dangerous foes, but I'm with Koryn on this. We will win this war, because we have some of the most compassionate, courageous, and determined people in the world. If we stand together, we'll win" she said, conviction and passion in her voice. I smile and stand up.

"You're right. Viggo Grimborn, Krogan, and Johann won't beat us. Not now, not ever!" I shouted.

* * *

 **The final chapter of Leaving Berk, everyone! Apologies if it seems rushed! I just felt it was time to close this one.**

 **I'd like to thank everyone who supported this story! A big special thanks goes Mariah, who is my number one fan on this! I hope to keep hearing from you in the sequel stories!**

 **See you in the next story, everyone!**


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